diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 28b65e4..c2ce131 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 # Optional variables
 #
 
+# Distribution packages which must be installed
+# on all hosts when building python wheels.
+venv_build_base_distro_package_list: "{{ _venv_build_base_distro_package_list[ansible_os_family | lower] }}"
+
 # Distribution packages which must be installed
 # on the host for the purpose of building the
 # python wheels.
diff --git a/tasks/python_venv_install.yml b/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
index 92f7857..89fd798 100644
--- a/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 - name: Install distro packages for venv build
   package:
-    name: "{{ (venv_build_host != inventory_hostname) | ternary(venv_install_distro_package_list, venv_build_distro_package_list + venv_install_distro_package_list) }}"
+    name: "{{ (venv_build_host != inventory_hostname) | ternary(venv_install_distro_package_list, (venv_build_base_distro_package_list + venv_build_distro_package_list + venv_install_distro_package_list) | unique) }}"
     state: "{{ venv_distro_package_state }}"
     update_cache: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr in ['apt', 'zypper']) | ternary('yes', omit) }}"
     cache_valid_time: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt') | ternary(venv_distro_cache_valid_time, omit) }}"
diff --git a/tasks/python_venv_wheel_build.yml b/tasks/python_venv_wheel_build.yml
index 1ba44ea..b5c90f0 100644
--- a/tasks/python_venv_wheel_build.yml
+++ b/tasks/python_venv_wheel_build.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   block:
     - name: Install distro packages for wheel build
       package:
-        name: "{{ venv_build_distro_package_list }}"
+        name: "{{ (venv_build_base_distro_package_list + venv_build_distro_package_list) | unique }}"
         state: "{{ venv_distro_package_state }}"
         update_cache: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr in ['apt', 'zypper']) | ternary('yes', omit) }}"
         cache_valid_time: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt') | ternary(venv_distro_cache_valid_time, omit) }}"
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46adf9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2018, Rackspace US, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+_venv_build_base_distro_package_list:
+  debian:
+    - cmake
+    - gcc
+    - "{{ (venv_python_executable == 'python2') | ternary('pkg-config', 'python3-pkgconfig') }}"
+    - "{{ (venv_python_executable == 'python2') | ternary('python-dev', 'python3-dev') }}"
+  redhat:
+    - autoconf
+    - cmake
+    - gcc
+    - gcc-c++
+    - "{{ (venv_python_executable == 'python2') | ternary('python2-devel', 'python3-devel') }}"
+  suse:
+    - autoconf
+    - cmake
+    - gcc
+    - gcc-c++
+    - "{{ (venv_python_executable == 'python2') | ternary('python-devel', 'python3-devel') }}"