diff --git a/zuul.d/jobs.yaml b/zuul.d/jobs.yaml
index 9eddf9c4a6..f60cc4aa9c 100644
--- a/zuul.d/jobs.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/jobs.yaml
@@ -383,6 +383,8 @@
     pre-run: playbooks/pti-python-tarball/pre.yaml
     run: playbooks/pti-python-tarball/run.yaml
     post-run: playbooks/python-branch-tarball/post.yaml
+    vars:
+      release_python: python3
 
 - job:
     name: publish-irc-meetings