diff --git a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/api-guides.rst b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/api-guides.rst
index b424c81ce7..1b383559a9 100644
--- a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/api-guides.rst
+++ b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/api-guides.rst
@@ -154,9 +154,10 @@ The basic steps are:
       [testenv:api-ref]
       # This environment is called from CI scripts to test and publish
       # the API Ref to developer.openstack.org.
+      whitelist_externals = rm
       commands =
-      rm -rf api-ref/build
-      sphinx-build -W -b html -d api-ref/build/doctrees api-ref/source api-ref/build/html
+              rm -rf api-ref/build
+              sphinx-build -W -b html -d api-ref/build/doctrees api-ref/source api-ref/build/html
 
 #. Test the ``tox.ini`` changes by running this tox command:
 
diff --git a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-deploy-guide.rst b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-deploy-guide.rst
index 3c4735883a..69531cb641 100644
--- a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-deploy-guide.rst
+++ b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-deploy-guide.rst
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ Setting up
    .. code-block:: ini
 
       [testenv:deploy-guide]
-      commands = sphinx-build -a -E -W -d deploy-guide/build/doctrees -b html deploy-guide/source deploy-guide/build/html
+      whitelist_externals = rm
+      commands =
+              rm -rf deploy-guide/build
+              sphinx-build -a -E -W -d deploy-guide/build/doctrees -b html deploy-guide/source deploy-guide/build/html
 
 
 #. Add your deployment guide content, and test the build locally with ``tox``:
diff --git a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-install-guide.rst b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-install-guide.rst
index c5cd3d8e1a..709109652e 100644
--- a/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-install-guide.rst
+++ b/doc/doc-contrib-guide/source/project-install-guide.rst
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ Set up project specific installation guides:
    .. code-block:: ini
 
       [testenv:install-guide]
-      commands = sphinx-build -a -E -W -d install-guide/build/doctrees -b html install-guide/source install-guide/build/html
+      whitelist_externals = rm
+      commands =
+              rm -rf install-guide/build
+              sphinx-build -a -E -W -d install-guide/build/doctrees -b html install-guide/source install-guide/build/html
 
 #. Add the python package ``openstackdocstheme``  to the
    ``test-requirements.txt`` file. Copy the exact requirement line from the