diff --git a/.ci/ansible_install.py b/.ci/ansible_install.py
index 86e57096..4e03c003 100755
--- a/.ci/ansible_install.py
+++ b/.ci/ansible_install.py
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ batches = [
     ]
 ]
 
+# separately install ansible based on version passed in from azure-pipelines.yml or .travis.yml
+batches.append("pip install -q ansible==%s", ci_lib.ANSIBLE_VERSION)
+
 batches.extend(
     ['docker pull %s' % (ci_lib.image_for_distro(distro),)]
     for distro in ci_lib.DISTROS
diff --git a/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py b/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py
index 0cb47374..e3dd207e 100755
--- a/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py
+++ b/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py
@@ -13,4 +13,7 @@ batches = [
     ]
 ]
 
+# separately install ansible based on version passed in from azure-pipelines.yml or .travis.yml
+batches.append("pip install -q ansible==%s", ci_lib.ANSIBLE_VERSION)
+
 ci_lib.run_batches(batches)
diff --git a/tests/ansible/requirements.txt b/tests/ansible/requirements.txt
index 3fd6a0ca..c0386cd8 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/requirements.txt
+++ b/tests/ansible/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-ansible==2.8.8; python_version >= '2.7'
-ansible<2.7; python_version < '2.7'
 paramiko==2.3.2  # Last 2.6-compat version.
 hdrhistogram==0.6.1
 PyYAML==3.11; python_version < '2.7'