diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/composer.py b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/composer.py
index 73183f1e119..b3735facb48 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/composer.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/composer.py
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ options:
             - Composer arguments like required package, version and so on.
         required: false
         default: null
+    executable:
+        version_added: "2.4"
+        description:
+            - Path to PHP Executable on the remote host, if PHP is not in PATH
+        required: false
+        default: null
+        aliases: [ "php_path" ]
     working_dir:
         description:
             - Directory of your project (see --working-dir). This is required when
@@ -177,7 +184,12 @@ def get_available_options(module, command='install'):
 def composer_command(module, command, arguments="", options=None, global_command=False):
     if options is None:
         options = []
-    php_path = module.get_bin_path("php", True, ["/usr/local/bin"])
+
+    if module.params['executable'] is None:
+        php_path = module.get_bin_path("php", True, ["/usr/local/bin"])
+    else:
+        php_path = module.params['executable']
+
     composer_path = module.get_bin_path("composer", True, ["/usr/local/bin"])
     cmd = "%s %s %s %s %s %s" % (php_path, composer_path, "global" if global_command else "", command, " ".join(options), arguments)
     return module.run_command(cmd)
@@ -188,6 +200,7 @@ def main():
         argument_spec=dict(
             command=dict(default="install", type="str", required=False),
             arguments=dict(default="", type="str", required=False),
+            executable=dict(type="path", required=False, aliases=["php_path"]),
             working_dir=dict(type="path", aliases=["working-dir"]),
             global_command=dict(default=False, type="bool", aliases=["global-command"]),
             prefer_source=dict(default=False, type="bool", aliases=["prefer-source"]),