diff -r 6e240b661ab5 Lib/ensurepip/__init__.py
--- a/Lib/ensurepip/__init__.py	Mon Feb 24 09:27:16 2014 +0100
+++ b/Lib/ensurepip/__init__.py	Mon Feb 24 22:15:31 2014 +1000
@@ -128,9 +128,10 @@
 
     # If the pip version doesn't match the bundled one, leave it alone
     if pip.__version__ != _PIP_VERSION:
-        msg = ("ensurepip will only uninstall a matching pip "
+        msg = ("ensurepip will only uninstall a matching version "
                "({!r} installed, {!r} bundled)")
-        raise RuntimeError(msg.format(pip.__version__, _PIP_VERSION))
+        print(msg.format(pip.__version__, _PIP_VERSION), file=sys.stderr)
+        return
 
     _require_ssl_for_pip()
     _disable_pip_configuration_settings()
diff -r 6e240b661ab5 Lib/test/test_ensurepip.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_ensurepip.py	Mon Feb 24 09:27:16 2014 +0100
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ensurepip.py	Mon Feb 24 22:15:31 2014 +1000
@@ -196,10 +196,12 @@
             ensurepip._uninstall_helper()
         self.run_pip.assert_not_called()
 
-    def test_uninstall_fails_with_wrong_version(self):
+    def test_uninstall_skipped_with_warning_for_wrong_version(self):
         with fake_pip("not a valid version"):
-            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            with test.support.captured_stderr() as stderr:
                 ensurepip._uninstall_helper()
+        warning = stderr.getvalue().strip()
+        self.assertIn("only uninstall a matching version", warning)
         self.run_pip.assert_not_called()