diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/all.py b/pre_commit/languages/all.py
index a56f7e79..504c28a0 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/all.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/all.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from pre_commit.languages import node
 from pre_commit.languages import pcre
 from pre_commit.languages import pygrep
 from pre_commit.languages import python
+from pre_commit.languages import python_venv
 from pre_commit.languages import ruby
 from pre_commit.languages import script
 from pre_commit.languages import swift
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ languages = {
     'pcre': pcre,
     'pygrep': pygrep,
     'python': python,
+    'python_venv': python_venv,
     'ruby': ruby,
     'script': script,
     'swift': swift,
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/python.py b/pre_commit/languages/python.py
index 7fc5443e..ee7b2a4f 100644
--- a/pre_commit/languages/python.py
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/python.py
@@ -32,15 +32,6 @@ def get_env_patch(venv):
     )
 
 
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def in_env(prefix, language_version):
-    envdir = prefix.path(
-        helpers.environment_dir(ENVIRONMENT_DIR, language_version),
-    )
-    with envcontext(get_env_patch(envdir)):
-        yield
-
-
 def _find_by_py_launcher(version):  # pragma: no cover (windows only)
     if version.startswith('python'):
         try:
@@ -98,15 +89,6 @@ def get_default_version():
         return get_default_version()
 
 
-def healthy(prefix, language_version):
-    with in_env(prefix, language_version):
-        retcode, _, _ = cmd_output(
-            'python', '-c', 'import ctypes, datetime, io, os, ssl, weakref',
-            retcode=None,
-        )
-    return retcode == 0
-
-
 def norm_version(version):
     if os.name == 'nt':  # pragma: no cover (windows)
         # Try looking up by name
@@ -123,30 +105,54 @@ def norm_version(version):
         if version.startswith('python'):
             return r'C:\{}\python.exe'.format(version.replace('.', ''))
 
-        # Otherwise assume it is a path
+    # Otherwise assume it is a path
     return os.path.expanduser(version)
 
 
-def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
-    additional_dependencies = tuple(additional_dependencies)
-    directory = helpers.environment_dir(ENVIRONMENT_DIR, version)
+def py_interface(_dir, _make_venv):
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def in_env(prefix, language_version):
+        envdir = prefix.path(helpers.environment_dir(_dir, language_version))
+        with envcontext(get_env_patch(envdir)):
+            yield
 
-    # Install a virtualenv
-    env_dir = prefix.path(directory)
-    with clean_path_on_failure(env_dir):
-        venv_cmd = [sys.executable, '-m', 'virtualenv', env_dir]
-        if version != 'default':
-            venv_cmd.extend(['-p', norm_version(version)])
-        else:
-            venv_cmd.extend(['-p', os.path.realpath(sys.executable)])
-        venv_env = dict(os.environ, VIRTUALENV_NO_DOWNLOAD='1')
-        cmd_output(*venv_cmd, cwd='/', env=venv_env)
-        with in_env(prefix, version):
-            helpers.run_setup_cmd(
-                prefix, ('pip', 'install', '.') + additional_dependencies,
+    def healthy(prefix, language_version):
+        with in_env(prefix, language_version):
+            retcode, _, _ = cmd_output(
+                'python', '-c',
+                'import ctypes, datetime, io, os, ssl, weakref',
+                retcode=None,
             )
+        return retcode == 0
+
+    def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
+        with in_env(prefix, hook['language_version']):
+            return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+
+    def install_environment(prefix, version, additional_dependencies):
+        additional_dependencies = tuple(additional_dependencies)
+        directory = helpers.environment_dir(_dir, version)
+
+        env_dir = prefix.path(directory)
+        with clean_path_on_failure(env_dir):
+            if version != 'default':
+                python = norm_version(version)
+            else:
+                python = os.path.realpath(sys.executable)
+            _make_venv(env_dir, python)
+            with in_env(prefix, version):
+                helpers.run_setup_cmd(
+                    prefix, ('pip', 'install', '.') + additional_dependencies,
+                )
+
+    return in_env, healthy, run_hook, install_environment
 
 
-def run_hook(prefix, hook, file_args):
-    with in_env(prefix, hook['language_version']):
-        return xargs(helpers.to_cmd(hook), file_args)
+def make_venv(envdir, python):
+    env = dict(os.environ, VIRTUALENV_NO_DOWNLOAD='1')
+    cmd = (sys.executable, '-mvirtualenv', envdir, '-p', python)
+    cmd_output(*cmd, env=env, cwd='/')
+
+
+_interface = py_interface(ENVIRONMENT_DIR, make_venv)
+in_env, healthy, run_hook, install_environment = _interface
diff --git a/pre_commit/languages/python_venv.py b/pre_commit/languages/python_venv.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..20613a49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pre_commit/languages/python_venv.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from pre_commit.languages import python
+from pre_commit.util import cmd_output
+
+
+ENVIRONMENT_DIR = 'py_venv'
+
+
+def make_venv(envdir, python):
+    cmd_output(python, '-mvenv', envdir, cwd='/')
+
+
+get_default_version = python.get_default_version
+_interface = python.py_interface(ENVIRONMENT_DIR, make_venv)
+in_env, healthy, run_hook, install_environment = _interface
diff --git a/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/python3_hook/main.py b/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/py3_hook.py
similarity index 92%
rename from testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/python3_hook/main.py
rename to testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/py3_hook.py
index 04f974e6..f0f88088 100644
--- a/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/python3_hook/main.py
+++ b/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/py3_hook.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import sys
 
 
-def func():
+def main():
     print(sys.version_info[0])
     print(repr(sys.argv[1:]))
     print('Hello World')
diff --git a/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/setup.py b/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/setup.py
index bf7690c0..9125dc1d 100644
--- a/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/setup.py
+++ b/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/setup.py
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
-from setuptools import find_packages
 from setuptools import setup
 
 setup(
     name='python3_hook',
     version='0.0.0',
-    packages=find_packages('.'),
-    entry_points={
-        'console_scripts': ['python3-hook = python3_hook.main:func'],
-    },
+    py_modules=['py3_hook'],
+    entry_points={'console_scripts': ['python3-hook = py3_hook:main']},
 )
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo/main.py b/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo.py
similarity index 90%
rename from testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo/main.py
rename to testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo.py
index 78c2c0f7..412a5c62 100644
--- a/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo/main.py
+++ b/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import sys
 
 
-def func():
+def main():
     print(repr(sys.argv[1:]))
     print('Hello World')
     return 0
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo/__init__.py b/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/foo/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/setup.py b/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/setup.py
index 556dd8f5..0559271e 100644
--- a/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/setup.py
+++ b/testing/resources/python_hooks_repo/setup.py
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
-from setuptools import find_packages
 from setuptools import setup
 
 setup(
-    name='Foo',
+    name='foo',
     version='0.0.0',
-    packages=find_packages('.'),
-    entry_points={
-        'console_scripts': ['foo = foo.main:func'],
-    },
+    py_modules=['foo'],
+    entry_points={'console_scripts': ['foo = foo:main']},
 )
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a666ed87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/.pre-commit-hooks.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-   id: foo
+    name: Foo
+    entry: foo
+    language: python_venv
+    files: \.py$
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/foo.py b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/foo.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..412a5c62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/foo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+import sys
+
+
+def main():
+    print(repr(sys.argv[1:]))
+    print('Hello World')
+    return 0
diff --git a/testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/python3_hook/__init__.py b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/foo/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from testing/resources/python3_hooks_repo/python3_hook/__init__.py
rename to testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/foo/__init__.py
diff --git a/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/setup.py b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0559271e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/resources/python_venv_hooks_repo/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+from setuptools import setup
+
+setup(
+    name='foo',
+    version='0.0.0',
+    py_modules=['foo'],
+    entry_points={'console_scripts': ['foo = foo:main']},
+)
diff --git a/testing/util.py b/testing/util.py
index 025bc0bb..ae5ae338 100644
--- a/testing/util.py
+++ b/testing/util.py
@@ -78,6 +78,20 @@ xfailif_no_symlink = pytest.mark.xfail(
 )
 
 
+def supports_venv():  # pragma: no cover (platform specific)
+    try:
+        __import__('ensurepip')
+        __import__('venv')
+        return True
+    except ImportError:
+        return False
+
+
+xfailif_no_venv = pytest.mark.xfail(
+    not supports_venv(), reason='Does not support venv module',
+)
+
+
 def run_opts(
         all_files=False,
         files=(),
diff --git a/tests/repository_test.py b/tests/repository_test.py
index 63b9f1c9..67b8f3f6 100644
--- a/tests/repository_test.py
+++ b/tests/repository_test.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from testing.util import skipif_cant_run_docker
 from testing.util import skipif_cant_run_swift
 from testing.util import xfailif_broken_deep_listdir
 from testing.util import xfailif_no_pcre_support
+from testing.util import xfailif_no_venv
 from testing.util import xfailif_windows_no_ruby
 
 
@@ -111,6 +112,15 @@ def test_python_hook_weird_setup_cfg(tempdir_factory, store):
         )
 
 
+@xfailif_no_venv
+def test_python_venv(tempdir_factory, store):  # pragma: no cover (no venv)
+    _test_hook_repo(
+        tempdir_factory, store, 'python_venv_hooks_repo',
+        'foo', [os.devnull],
+        b"['" + five.to_bytes(os.devnull) + b"']\nHello World\n",
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.integration
 def test_switch_language_versions_doesnt_clobber(tempdir_factory, store):
     # We're using the python3 repo because it prints the python version