diff --git a/roles/tox/README.rst b/roles/tox/README.rst
index 45f8a3daa..cf1921e80 100644
--- a/roles/tox/README.rst
+++ b/roles/tox/README.rst
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ Runs tox for a project
 
    String of extra command line options to pass to tox.
 
-.. zuul:rolevar:: tox_upper_constraints_file
+.. zuul:rolevar:: tox_constraints_file
 
-   Path to an upper constraints file. Will be provided to tox via
+   Path to a pip constraints file. Will be provided to tox via
    UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE environment variable if it exists.
 
 .. zuul:rolevar:: zuul_work_dir
diff --git a/roles/tox/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/tox/tasks/main.yaml
index edb8acc4a..6154c4a63 100644
--- a/roles/tox/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/tox/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -5,21 +5,21 @@
 
 - name: Check to see if the constraints file exists
   stat:
-    path: "{{ tox_upper_constraints_file }}"
+    path: "{{ tox_constraints_file|default('missing') }}"
     get_checksum: false
     get_mime: false
     get_md5: false
   register: stat_results
-  when: tox_upper_constraints_file is defined
+  when: tox_constraints_file is defined
 
 - name: Record file location
   set_fact:
-    tox_upper_constraints_env:
-      UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE: "{{ tox_upper_constraints_file }}"
+    tox_constraints_env:
+      UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE: "{{ tox_constraints_file }}"
   when: not stat_results|skipped and stat_results.stat.exists
 
 - name: Run tox
   args:
     chdir: "{{ zuul_work_dir }}"
-  environment: "{{ tox_environment|combine(tox_upper_constraints_env|default({})) }}"
+  environment: "{{ tox_environment|combine(tox_constraints_env|default({})) }}"
   command: "{{ tox_executable }} -e{{ tox_envlist }} {{ tox_extra_args }}"
diff --git a/zuul.yaml b/zuul.yaml
index fbea82b7c..b7a76ef13 100644
--- a/zuul.yaml
+++ b/zuul.yaml
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@
 
          String containing extra arguments to append to the tox command line.
 
-      .. zuul:jobvar: tox_upper_constraints_file
+      .. zuul:jobvar: tox_constraints_file
 
-         Path to an upper constraints file. Will be provided to tox via
+         Path to a pip constraints file. Will be provided to tox in the
          UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE environment variable if it exists.
     run: playbooks/tox/run
     pre-run: playbooks/tox/pre