diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 47815f80..b9bcc1e1 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@
 # Validate certificates when downloading LXC templates
 lxc_hosts_validate_certs: yes
 
-# Set the package install state for distribution and pip packages
+# Set the package install state for distribution packages
 # Options are 'present' and 'latest'
 lxc_hosts_package_state: "latest"
-lxc_hosts_pip_package_state: "latest"
 
 # Mappings from Ansible reported architecture to distro release architecture
 lxc_architecture_mapping:
@@ -111,9 +110,6 @@ lxc_net6_nat: false
 lxc_kernel_options:
   - { key: 'fs.inotify.max_user_instances', value: 1024 }
 
-lxc_pip_packages:
-  - lxc-python2
-
 lxc_cache_sshd_configuration:
     - { regexp: "^PermitRootLogin",         line: "PermitRootLogin prohibit-password" }
     - { regexp: "^TCPKeepAlive",            line: "TCPKeepAlive yes" }
diff --git a/tasks/lxc_install.yml b/tasks/lxc_install.yml
index 8871a724..ae816fc4 100644
--- a/tasks/lxc_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/lxc_install.yml
@@ -18,17 +18,3 @@
     - install-apt
     - install-yum
     - install-zypper
-
-- name: Install pip packages
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ lxc_pip_packages }}"
-    state: "{{ lxc_hosts_pip_package_state }}"
-    extra_args: >-
-      {{ (pip_install_upper_constraints is defined) | ternary('--constraint ' + pip_install_upper_constraints | default(''),'') }}
-      {{ pip_install_options | default('') }}
-  register: install_packages
-  until: install_packages|success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
-  tags:
-    - lxc-pip-packages
diff --git a/vars/redhat-7-host.yml b/vars/redhat-7-host.yml
index b4b10a34..bb6c74c4 100644
--- a/vars/redhat-7-host.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat-7-host.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ lxc_hosts_distro_packages:
   - lxc-devel
   - lxc-libs
   - lxc-templates
+  - python2-lxc
   - unzip
   - xz
 
diff --git a/vars/suse-42-host.yml b/vars/suse-42-host.yml
index 40f50bb9..39d5049e 100644
--- a/vars/suse-42-host.yml
+++ b/vars/suse-42-host.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ lxc_hosts_distro_packages:
   - libseccomp2
   - lxc
   - liblxc-devel
+  - python-lxc-python2
   - xz
 
 lxc_xz_bin: xz
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-16.04-host.yml b/vars/ubuntu-16.04-host.yml
index 58534b17..ed38ab40 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-16.04-host.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-16.04-host.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ lxc_hosts_distro_packages:
   - lxc-dev
   - lxc-templates
   - python-dev
+  - python-lxc
   - python3-lxc
   - systemd-container
   - pxz