diff --git a/tests/image_prep/_container_setup.yml b/tests/image_prep/_container_setup.yml
index 1120897a..256cf255 100644
--- a/tests/image_prep/_container_setup.yml
+++ b/tests/image_prep/_container_setup.yml
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@
     - role: sshd_container
 
   tasks:
-    - name: Configure /usr/bin/python
-      command: alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python3.8
-      args:
-        creates: /usr/bin/python
-      when: inventory_hostname in ["centos8"]
-
     - name: Enable UTF-8 locale on Debian
       copy:
         dest: /etc/locale.gen
diff --git a/tests/image_prep/host_vars/centos8.yml b/tests/image_prep/host_vars/centos8.yml
index c2deb6ff..baccafea 100644
--- a/tests/image_prep/host_vars/centos8.yml
+++ b/tests/image_prep/host_vars/centos8.yml
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ packages:
   - perl-JSON
   - python2-virtualenv
   - python3-virtualenv
-  - python36
-  - python38
 
 package_manager_repos:
   - dest: /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-Linux-AppStream.repo