diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index acf7e82..791885a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,6 +20,32 @@ cd vvm
 python3 setup.py install
 ```
 
+## Quickstart
+
+Use `vvm` to install versions of Vyper:
+
+```python
+from vvm import install_vyper
+
+install_vyper(version="0.4.0")
+```
+
+**Note**: On macOS with the Apple chips, installing some versions of Vyper may fail if you have not first run this
+command:
+
+```python
+softwareupdate --install-rosetta
+```
+
+To install Vyper without validating the binary (which is useful in the case where you did first run the command above
+but will later or are managing versions of Vyper without running them), you can set `skip_validation=False`.
+
+```python
+from vvm import install_vyper
+
+install_vyper(version="0.4.0", validate=False)
+```
+
 ## Testing
 
 `vvm` is tested on Linux, OSX and Windows with Vyper versions `>=0.1.0-beta.16`.
diff --git a/vvm/install.py b/vvm/install.py
index a311021..95a9fd0 100644
--- a/vvm/install.py
+++ b/vvm/install.py
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ def install_vyper(
     show_progress: bool = False,
     vvm_binary_path: Union[Path, str] = None,
     headers: Dict = None,
+    validate: bool = True,
 ) -> Version:
     """
     Download and install a precompiled version of `vyper`.
@@ -235,6 +236,11 @@ def install_vyper(
         the `tqdm` package.
     vvm_binary_path : Path | str, optional
         User-defined path, used to override the default installation directory.
+    validate : bool
+        Set to False to skip validating the downloaded binary. Defaults to True.
+        Useful for when debugging why a binary fails to run on your OS (may need
+        additional setup) or if managing binaries without needing to run them
+        (such as a mirror).
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -276,7 +282,8 @@ def install_vyper(
         if os_name != "windows":
             install_path.chmod(install_path.stat().st_mode | stat.S_IEXEC)
 
-        _validate_installation(version, vvm_binary_path)
+        if validate:
+            _validate_installation(version, vvm_binary_path)
 
     return version