diff --git a/.zuul.d/base.yaml b/.zuul.d/base.yaml
index b5227a0b2e..d630cf100e 100644
--- a/.zuul.d/base.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.d/base.yaml
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@
       - ^tox\.ini$
     vars:
       publisher: false
-      ansible_python_interpreter: python3
     extra-vars:
       kolla_logs_dir: "{{ zuul_output_dir }}/logs/kolla"
       kolla_build_logs_dir: "{{ kolla_logs_dir }}/build"
diff --git a/tests/playbooks/pre.yml b/tests/playbooks/pre.yml
index 2c289ef0b4..30eb8c9fc7 100644
--- a/tests/playbooks/pre.yml
+++ b/tests/playbooks/pre.yml
@@ -38,12 +38,11 @@
       when:
         ansible_os_family == "Debian"
 
+    - name: Create virtualenv
+      command: python3 -m virtualenv {{ virtualenv_path }} --python python3
+
     - name: Install kolla
-      pip:
-        name: .
-        chdir: "{{ zuul.project.src_dir }}"
-        virtualenv: "{{ virtualenv_path }}"
-        virtualenv_python: python3
+      command: "{{ virtualenv_path }}/bin/python -m pip install {{ zuul.project.src_dir }}"
 
     - name: Configure Docker repo for Debian/Ubuntu
       block:
diff --git a/tests/playbooks/publish.yml b/tests/playbooks/publish.yml
index 6c688b6641..33a497b094 100644
--- a/tests/playbooks/publish.yml
+++ b/tests/playbooks/publish.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 ---
 - hosts: all
+  vars:
+    # NOTE(yoctozepto): We need Docker SDK, the best source is Kolla venv.
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ virtualenv_path }}/bin/python"
   tasks:
-    - name: Ensure docker python SDK is installed
-      become: true
-      pip:
-        name: "docker"
-        state: present
-
     - name: List all containers
       docker_host_info:
         images: yes