diff --git a/helpers/apt b/helpers/apt
index 8ff9a3cd1..979e71fa7 100644
--- a/helpers/apt
+++ b/helpers/apt
@@ -45,20 +45,25 @@ ynh_wait_dpkg_free() {
 #
 # example: ynh_package_is_installed --package=yunohost && echo "installed"
 #
-# usage: ynh_package_is_installed --package=name
-# | arg: -p, --package=     - the package name to check
+# usage: ynh_package_is_installed --package=name [--wait_dpkg_free]
+# | arg: -p, --package=          - the package name to check
+# | arg: -l, --wait_dpkg_free=   - wait for dpkg to be free.
+# |                                Note that waiting on dpkg free could take about 0.2s on quick platform
+# |                                and about 2 seconds on slow platform so in case of multiple call it could be slow
 # | ret: 0 if the package is installed, 1 else.
-#
-# Requires YunoHost version 2.2.4 or higher.
 ynh_package_is_installed() {
     # Declare an array to define the options of this helper.
-    local legacy_args=p
-    local -A args_array=([p]=package=)
+    local legacy_args=pl
+    local -A args_array=([p]=package= [l]=wait_dpkg_free=)
     local package
+    local wait_dpkg_free
     # Manage arguments with getopts
     ynh_handle_getopts_args "$@"
+    wait_dpkg_free="${wait_dpkg_free:-0}"
 
-    ynh_wait_dpkg_free
+    if [ "$wait_dpkg_free" -eq 1 ]; then
+        ynh_wait_dpkg_free
+    fi
     dpkg-query --show --showformat='${Status}' "$package" 2>/dev/null \
         | grep --count "ok installed" &>/dev/null
 }