diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index c0252ba..674af76 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -69,15 +69,14 @@ docker_ca_certificates_src_dir: "{{ '~/docker-ca-certificates' | expanduser }}"
 # certificate files (besides other locations).
 docker_ca_certificates_dst_dir: "/usr/local/share/ca-certificates"
 
-# Currently only "standalone" is supported. So that means on the remote host
-# "docker-compose" command will be available and not the "docker compose"
-# plugin (without "-").
-# When commented no "docker-compose" will be installed and all "docker_compose_*"
-# variables are ignored.
-# docker_compose_type: "standalone"
+# 2 kind of compose installation are supported (standalone to support legacy environments):
+# - standalone: The standalone "docker-compose" binary. This is the old way to use "docker-compose". The binary is called "docker-compose" and is installed in a directory defined by `docker_compose_bin_directory` variable. This is the default value for `docker_compose_type` variable.
+# - plugin: The "docker compose" plugin for "docker" CLI. This is the new way to use "docker-compose". The binary is called "docker-compose" and is installed in "/usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose". This is the recommended way to use "docker-compose" and is the default value for `docker_compose_type` variable.
+# When commented no "docker-compose" will be installed and all "docker_compose_*" variables will be ignored.
+docker_compose_type: "standalone"
 
 # "docker-compose" version
-docker_compose_version: "2.38.2"
+docker_compose_version: "5.1.1"
 
 # The directory where to "docker-compose" binary will be installed
 docker_compose_bin_directory: "/usr/local/bin"
diff --git a/tasks/deps-debian.yml b/tasks/deps-debian.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d31815
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/deps-debian.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+- name: Install prerequisite packages
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name: "{{ dependency_packages }}"
+    state: present
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/deps-redhat.yml b/tasks/deps-redhat.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e897bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/deps-redhat.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+- name: Install prerequisite packages
+  ansible.builtin.package:
+    name: "{{ dependency_packages }}"
+    state: present
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/docker-compose-plugin.yml b/tasks/docker-compose-plugin.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bdf7eda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/docker-compose-plugin.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+
+- name: Ensure docker compose cli plugins directory exists
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: /usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins
+    state: directory
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0755"
+
+- name: Downloading docker compose plugins binary v2 and make exec
+  ansible.builtin.get_url:
+    url: "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v{{ docker_compose_version }}/docker-compose-{{ ansible_system | lower }}-{{ ansible_architecture }}"
+    dest: "/usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose"
+    mode: "{{ docker_compose_bin_file_perm }}"
+    owner: "{{ docker_compose_bin_owner }}"
+    group: "{{ docker_compose_bin_group }}"
+    checksum: "sha256:https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v{{ docker_compose_version }}/docker-compose-{{ ansible_system | lower }}-{{ ansible_architecture }}.sha256"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/docker-compose.yml b/tasks/docker-compose-standalone.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from tasks/docker-compose.yml
rename to tasks/docker-compose-standalone.yml
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 83bbe54..1a6d9cc 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -16,19 +16,8 @@
   tags:
     - always
 
-- name: Bootstrap python3-apt on Debian family hosts
-  when:
-    - ansible_facts['os_family'] == "Debian"
-  ansible.builtin.raw: |
-    if python3 -c 'import apt' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      echo "python3-apt already present"
-    else
-      export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
-      apt-get update
-      apt-get install -y python3-apt
-    fi
-  register: docker__python3_apt_bootstrap
-  changed_when: "'python3-apt already present' not in docker__python3_apt_bootstrap.stdout"
+- ansible.builtin.include_tasks: deps-{{ ansible_os_family | lower }}.yml
+  when: ansible_os_family in ['RedHat', 'Debian'] # supported os family
 
 - name: Gather the package facts
   ansible.builtin.package_facts:
@@ -241,9 +230,9 @@
 
 - name: Install docker-compose binary
   when:
-    - docker_compose_type is defined
+    - docker_compose_type is defined and docker_compose_type in ['standalone', 'plugin']
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
-    file: "tasks/docker-compose.yml"
+    file: "tasks/docker-compose-{{ docker_compose_type }}.yml"
     apply:
       tags:
         - docker-compose
diff --git a/vars/debian-11.yml b/vars/debian-11.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/debian-11.yml
+++ b/vars/debian-11.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vars/debian-12.yml b/vars/debian-12.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/debian-12.yml
+++ b/vars/debian-12.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vars/debian.yml b/vars/debian.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/debian.yml
+++ b/vars/debian.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-22.yml b/vars/ubuntu-22.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-22.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-22.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-24.yml b/vars/ubuntu-24.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-24.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-24.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu.yml b/vars/ubuntu.yml
index c0aa297..e0aa8b0 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 ---
 docker_ip_nft_tables_packages:
   iptables: "iptables"
+dependency_packages:
+  - python3-apt
\ No newline at end of file