diff --git a/test-requirements.txt b/test-requirements.txt
index ad03fc16..c1755118 100644
--- a/test-requirements.txt
+++ b/test-requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# This is listed in order to preinstall PBR with pip as easy_install
+# on these older python versions can no longer reliably talk to pypi
+# due to non SNI TLS connections being disabled.
+pbr ; python_version >= "3" and python_version <= "3.5"
 hacking>=2.0.0,<2.1.0
 mock
 fixtures>=0.3.14
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 0152d7bc..66148bc9 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 [tox]
 envlist = linters,docs,py3
 ignore_basepython_conflict = true
+# We skipsdist to force test-requirements and specifically pbr
+# to be installed prior to installing git-review. This ensures that
+# easy_install doesn't try to talk to pypi.org for pbr which fails
+# on older python due to a lack of SNI support.
+skipsdist = true
 
 [testenv]
 basepython = python3
+usedevelop = true
 # See "testing behind a proxy" https://review.opendev.org/624496
 passenv =
   http_proxy