diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
index ebf9404a27..aa33955cc3 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/defaults/main.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ nova_services:
     container_name: "nova_compute"
     group: "compute"
     image: "{{ nova_compute_image_full }}"
+    environment:
+        LIBGUESTFS_BACKEND: "direct"
     privileged: True
     enabled: "{{ not enable_nova_fake | bool }}"
     ipc_mode: "host"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/handlers/main.yml b/ansible/roles/nova/handlers/main.yml
index 21b2d412fb..777659d5dc 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/handlers/main.yml
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@
     action: "recreate_or_restart_container"
     common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
     name: "{{ service.container_name }}"
+    environment: "{{ service.environment | default(omit) }}"
     image: "{{ service.image }}"
     privileged: "{{ service.privileged | default(False) }}"
     ipc_mode: "{{ service.ipc_mode | default(omit) }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/config.yml b/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/config.yml
index 26af6278bd..ad5b4f8ef8 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/config.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/config.yml
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@
     common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
     name: "{{ item.value.container_name }}"
     image: "{{ item.value.image }}"
+    environment: "{{ item.value.environment|default(omit) }}"
     pid_mode: "{{ item.value.pid_mode|default('') }}"
     ipc_mode: "{{ item.value.ipc_mode|default(omit) }}"
     privileged: "{{ item.value.privileged|default(False) }}"