diff --git a/.ci/ansible_install.py b/.ci/ansible_install.py
index 4e03c003..4f9d5dff 100755
--- a/.ci/ansible_install.py
+++ b/.ci/ansible_install.py
@@ -6,16 +6,15 @@ batches = [
     [
         # Must be installed separately, as PyNACL indirect requirement causes
         # newer version to be installed if done in a single pip run.
+        # Separately install ansible based on version passed in from azure-pipelines.yml or .travis.yml
         'pip install "pycparser<2.19" "idna<2.7"',
         'pip install '
             '-r tests/requirements.txt '
             '-r tests/ansible/requirements.txt',
+        'pip install -q ansible=={}'.format(ci_lib.ANSIBLE_VERSION)
     ]
 ]
 
-# 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 e3dd207e..f8a1dd17 100755
--- a/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py
+++ b/.ci/localhost_ansible_install.py
@@ -6,14 +6,13 @@ batches = [
     [
         # Must be installed separately, as PyNACL indirect requirement causes
         # newer version to be installed if done in a single pip run.
+        # Separately install ansible based on version passed in from azure-pipelines.yml or .travis.yml
         'pip install "pycparser<2.19" "idna<2.7"',
         'pip install '
             '-r tests/requirements.txt '
             '-r tests/ansible/requirements.txt',
+        'pip install -q ansible=={}'.format(ci_lib.ANSIBLE_VERSION)
     ]
 ]
 
-# 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)