diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 18b400c206b..b43f2cffcaf 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tox]
-minversion = 3.1.0
+minversion = 3.2.0
 skipsdist = True
 skip_missing_interpreters = true
 # python runtimes: https://governance.openstack.org/tc/reference/runtimes/ussuri.html
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ envlist = py37,py36,compliance,pep8
 # this allows tox to infer the base python from the environment name
 # and override any basepython configured in this file
 ignore_basepython_conflict=true
+# Pin the virtualenv and therefore the setuptools version used for the env
+# creation. This results in a new tox being installed in .tox/.tox virtualenv
+# and the tox on the host will delegate all the calls to the tox in that env.
+requires = virtualenv<20.8
 
 [testenv]
 basepython = python3