diff --git a/doc/source/user/jobs.rst b/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
index eb42c71de0..72743478fd 100644
--- a/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
+++ b/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
@@ -511,6 +511,13 @@ executor running the job is available:
 
          The path to the working directory.
 
+      .. var:: inventory_file
+
+         The path to the inventory. This variable is needed for jobs running
+         without a nodeset since Ansible doesn't set it for localhost, see
+         this `porting guide
+         <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.4.html#inventory>`_
+
 .. _user_sitewide_variables:
 
 Site-wide Variables
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
index ad077e597e..e0b087db10 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
           - zuul.executor.src_root is defined
           - zuul.executor.log_root is defined
           - zuul.executor.work_root is defined
+          - zuul.executor.inventory_file is defined
 
     - name: Assert zuul.project variables are valid.
       assert:
@@ -39,4 +40,4 @@
           - vartest_job == 'vartest_job'
           - vartest_secret.value == 'vartest_secret'
           - vartest_site == 'vartest_site'
-          - base_var == 'base_var'
\ No newline at end of file
+          - base_var == 'base_var'
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index 85447e5864..61d0cc10ad 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -1350,7 +1350,8 @@ class AnsibleJob(object):
             src_root=self.jobdir.src_root,
             log_root=self.jobdir.log_root,
             work_root=self.jobdir.work_root,
-            result_data_file=self.jobdir.result_data_file)
+            result_data_file=self.jobdir.result_data_file,
+            inventory_file=self.jobdir.inventory)
 
         nodes = self.getHostList(args)
         setup_inventory = make_setup_inventory_dict(nodes)