diff --git a/roles/run-tempest/README.rst b/roles/run-tempest/README.rst
index d4b253aef4..1f7fb70a10 100644
--- a/roles/run-tempest/README.rst
+++ b/roles/run-tempest/README.rst
@@ -72,3 +72,16 @@ Run Tempest
    :default: ''
 
    The timeout (in seconds) for each test.
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: stable_constraints_file
+   :default: ''
+
+   Upper constraints file to be used for stable branch till stable/rocky.
+
+.. zuul:rolevar:: tempest_tox_environment
+   :default: ''
+
+   Environment variable to set for run-tempst task.
+
+   Env variables set in this variable will be combined with some more
+   defaults env variable set at runtime.
diff --git a/roles/run-tempest/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/run-tempest/defaults/main.yaml
index 79df3e1bc1..5867b6cf80 100644
--- a/roles/run-tempest/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/run-tempest/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -4,3 +4,6 @@ tox_envlist: smoke
 tempest_black_regex: ''
 tox_extra_args: ''
 tempest_test_timeout: ''
+stable_constraints_file: "{{ devstack_base_dir }}/requirements/upper-constraints.txt"
+target_branch: "{{ zuul.branch }}"
+tempest_tox_environment: {}
diff --git a/roles/run-tempest/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/run-tempest/tasks/main.yaml
index 24bd4dbddd..8686f9a7d6 100644
--- a/roles/run-tempest/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/run-tempest/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,21 @@
     default_concurrency: "{{ num_cores|int // 2 }}"
   when: num_cores|int > 3
 
+- name: Override target branch
+  set_fact:
+    target_branch: "{{ zuul.override_checkout }}"
+  when: zuul.override_checkout is defined
+
+- name: Use stable branch upper-constraints till stable/rocky
+  set_fact:
+    tempest_tox_environment: "{{ tempest_tox_environment | combine({'UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE': stable_constraints_file}) }}"
+  when: target_branch in ["stable/ocata", "stable/pike", "stable/queens", "stable/rocky"]
+
+- name: Set OS_TEST_TIMEOUT if requested
+  set_fact:
+    tempest_tox_environment: "{{ tempest_tox_environment | combine({'OS_TEST_TIMEOUT': tempest_test_timeout}) }}"
+  when: tempest_test_timeout != ''
+
 - when:
     - tempest_test_blacklist is defined
   block:
@@ -42,4 +57,4 @@
     chdir: "{{devstack_base_dir}}/tempest"
   become: true
   become_user: tempest
-  environment: '{{ {"OS_TEST_TIMEOUT": tempest_test_timeout} if tempest_test_timeout else {} }}'
+  environment: "{{ tempest_tox_environment }}"