diff --git a/jenkins/scripts/run-tox-api-ref.sh b/jenkins/scripts/run-tox-api-ref.sh
index 280b741c4b..582f7fda26 100644
--- a/jenkins/scripts/run-tox-api-ref.sh
+++ b/jenkins/scripts/run-tox-api-ref.sh
@@ -15,10 +15,18 @@ api_ref_dir=${1:-./os-api-ref}
 
 script_path=/usr/local/jenkins/slave_scripts
 
+# NOTE(tonyb): This assumes running in the gate and that the git setup has
+# copied the upper-constraints.txt into a local file and set the
+# UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE appropriately.  The new commands will fail and cause
+# job failures if these pre-conditions are not met.
 cat <<EOF >> tox.ini
 [testenv:api-ref-src]
+deps =
+    {[testenv]deps}
+    openstack-requirements
 commands =
-    pip install -U $api_ref_dir
+    edit-constraints {env:UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:} -- os-api-ref
+    pip install -c {env:UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:} $api_ref_dir
     sphinx-build -W -b html -d api-ref/build/doctrees api-ref/source api-ref/build/html
 EOF