diff --git a/clearml_agent/backend_config/config.py b/clearml_agent/backend_config/config.py
index a1f03f7..0774acb 100644
--- a/clearml_agent/backend_config/config.py
+++ b/clearml_agent/backend_config/config.py
@@ -297,6 +297,9 @@ class Config(object):
     def put(self, key, value):
         self._config.put(key, value)
 
+    def pop(self, key, default=None):
+        return self._config.pop(key, default=default)
+
     def to_dict(self):
         return self._config.as_plain_ordered_dict()
 
diff --git a/clearml_agent/commands/worker.py b/clearml_agent/commands/worker.py
index 351b81f..dee8b90 100644
--- a/clearml_agent/commands/worker.py
+++ b/clearml_agent/commands/worker.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ from clearml_agent.backend_api.session import CallResult, Request
 from clearml_agent.backend_api.session.defs import (
     ENV_ENABLE_ENV_CONFIG_SECTION, ENV_ENABLE_FILES_CONFIG_SECTION,
     ENV_VENV_CONFIGURED, ENV_PROPAGATE_EXITCODE, )
+from clearml_agent.backend_config import Config
 from clearml_agent.backend_config.defs import UptimeConf
 from clearml_agent.backend_config.utils import apply_environment, apply_files
 from clearml_agent.backend_config.converters import text_to_int
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ from clearml_agent.definitions import (
     ENV_DOCKER_ARGS_FILTERS,
     ENV_FORCE_SYSTEM_SITE_PACKAGES,
     ENV_SERVICES_DOCKER_RESTART,
+    ENV_CONFIG_BC_IN_STANDALONE,
 )
 from clearml_agent.definitions import WORKING_REPOSITORY_DIR, PIP_EXTRA_INDICES
 from clearml_agent.errors import (
@@ -3515,6 +3517,11 @@ class Worker(ServiceCommandSection):
         requirements_manager.translator.enabled = False
         print(requirements_manager.replace(contents))
 
+    def remove_non_backwards_compatible_entries(self, config: Config):
+        if not self._standalone_mode or not ENV_CONFIG_BC_IN_STANDALONE.get() or self._session.feature_set == "basic":
+            return
+        config.pop("agent.package_manager.pip_version")  # removed due to a breaking change in v1.5.1
+
     def get_docker_config_cmd(self, docker_args, clean_api_credentials=False):
         docker_image = str(ENV_DOCKER_IMAGE.get() or
                            self._session.config.get("agent.default_docker.image", "nvidia/cuda")) \
@@ -3537,6 +3544,7 @@ class Worker(ServiceCommandSection):
             DockerArgsSanitizer.sanitize_docker_command(self._session, self._docker_arguments) or ''))
 
         temp_config = deepcopy(self._session.config)
+        self.remove_non_backwards_compatible_entries(temp_config)
         mounted_cache_dir = temp_config.get(
             "agent.docker_internal_mounts.sdk_cache", self._docker_fixed_user_cache)
         mounted_pip_dl_dir = temp_config.get(
diff --git a/clearml_agent/definitions.py b/clearml_agent/definitions.py
index 999903c..5043d3f 100644
--- a/clearml_agent/definitions.py
+++ b/clearml_agent/definitions.py
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ ENV_DEBUG_INFO = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_DEBUG_INFO")
 ENV_CHILD_AGENTS_COUNT_CMD = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_CHILD_AGENTS_COUNT_CMD")
 ENV_DOCKER_ARGS_FILTERS = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_DOCKER_ARGS_FILTERS")
 ENV_DOCKER_ARGS_HIDE_ENV = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_DOCKER_ARGS_HIDE_ENV")
+ENV_CONFIG_BC_IN_STANDALONE = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_STANDALONE_CONFIG_BC", type=bool)
+""" Maintain backwards compatible configuration when launching in standalone mode """
 
 ENV_SERVICES_DOCKER_RESTART = EnvironmentConfig("CLEARML_AGENT_SERVICES_DOCKER_RESTART")
 """