diff --git a/tools/ironic/scripts/cleanup-nodes b/tools/ironic/scripts/cleanup-nodes
index dc5a19d1cd..adeca5cd9e 100755
--- a/tools/ironic/scripts/cleanup-nodes
+++ b/tools/ironic/scripts/cleanup-nodes
@@ -8,10 +8,13 @@
 set -exu
 
 LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL=${LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL:-"default"}
+LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI=${LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI:-"qemu:///system"}
 
 VM_COUNT=$1
 NETWORK_BRIDGE=$2
 
+export VIRSH_DEFAULT_CONNECT_URI=$LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI
+
 for (( idx=0; idx<$VM_COUNT; idx++ )); do
     NAME="baremetal${NETWORK_BRIDGE}_${idx}"
     VOL_NAME="baremetal${NETWORK_BRIDGE}-${idx}.qcow2"
diff --git a/tools/ironic/scripts/create-nodes b/tools/ironic/scripts/create-nodes
index 3232b50776..d81113a4d5 100755
--- a/tools/ironic/scripts/create-nodes
+++ b/tools/ironic/scripts/create-nodes
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ EMULATOR=$7
 
 LIBVIRT_NIC_DRIVER=${LIBVIRT_NIC_DRIVER:-"e1000"}
 LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL=${LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL:-"default"}
+LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI=${LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI:-"qemu:///system"}
+
+export VIRSH_DEFAULT_CONNECT_URI=$LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI
 
 if ! virsh pool-list --all | grep -q $LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL; then
     virsh pool-define-as --name $LIBVIRT_STORAGE_POOL dir --target /var/lib/libvirt/images >&2
diff --git a/tools/ironic/scripts/setup-network b/tools/ironic/scripts/setup-network
index 8c3ea901b4..e326bf8ccd 100755
--- a/tools/ironic/scripts/setup-network
+++ b/tools/ironic/scripts/setup-network
@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@
 
 set -exu
 
+LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI=${LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI:-"qemu:///system"}
+
 # Keep track of the devstack directory
 TOP_DIR=$(cd $(dirname "$0")/.. && pwd)
 BRIDGE_SUFFIX=${1:-''}
 BRIDGE_NAME=brbm$BRIDGE_SUFFIX
 
+export VIRSH_DEFAULT_CONNECT_URI="$LIBVIRT_CONNECT_URI"
+
 # Only add bridge if missing
 (sudo ovs-vsctl list-br | grep ${BRIDGE_NAME}$) || sudo ovs-vsctl add-br ${BRIDGE_NAME}