diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 800133edfb..32b229b7ae 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ deps = {[testenv]deps}
 commands = {toxinidir}/tools/states_to_dot.py -f {toxinidir}/doc/source/images/states.svg --format svg
 
 [testenv:pep8]
+usedevelop = False
 deps=
     hacking>=3.1.0,<4.0.0 # Apache-2.0
     doc8>=0.6.0 # Apache-2.0
@@ -76,8 +77,10 @@ commands =
 commands = oslo_debug_helper -t ironic/tests/unit {posargs}
 
 [testenv:docs]
+# NOTE(dtantsur): documentation building process requires importing ironic
 deps =
   -c{env:TOX_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:https://releases.openstack.org/constraints/upper/master}
+  -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
   -r{toxinidir}/doc/requirements.txt
 commands = sphinx-build -b html -W doc/source doc/build/html
 
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ commands =
 
 
 [testenv:api-ref]
+usedevelop = False
 deps =
   -c{env:TOX_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:https://releases.openstack.org/constraints/upper/master}
   -r{toxinidir}/doc/requirements.txt
@@ -99,6 +103,7 @@ commands =
   sphinx-build -W -b html -d api-ref/build/doctrees api-ref/source api-ref/build/html
 
 [testenv:releasenotes]
+usedevelop = False
 deps =
   -c{env:TOX_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:https://releases.openstack.org/constraints/upper/master}
   -r{toxinidir}/doc/requirements.txt
@@ -162,5 +167,6 @@ deps =
   -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
 
 [testenv:bandit]
+usedevelop = False
 deps = -r{toxinidir}/test-requirements.txt
 commands = bandit -r ironic -x tests -n5 -ll -c tools/bandit.yml