diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/explicit-ansible-version-d4052b4900faba99.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/explicit-ansible-version-d4052b4900faba99.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cbe7c3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/explicit-ansible-version-d4052b4900faba99.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Define a default ansible version to install using DEFAULT_PIP_ANSIBLE
+    variable, but allow override it either using a schema understood by pip
+    using ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION, or setting a local path or a remote url using
+    ANSIBLE_SOURCE_PATH.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/ansible-pip-str.py b/scripts/ansible-pip-str.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 45d1a9a6a..000000000
--- a/scripts/ansible-pip-str.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,57 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright (c) 2017 Mirantis 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.
-
-"""Helper script to choose which ansible version to install for bifrost"""
-
-from __future__ import print_function
-import sys
-
-import six
-
-in_str = sys.argv[1]
-HELP_MSG = ("Unsupported version or format %s - "
-            "Supporting format [stable-]MAJ.MIN where MAJ.MIN is 1.9 or 2.x"
-            % in_str)
-
-if in_str.startswith('stable-'):
-    in_version = in_str.split('stable-')[1]
-else:
-    if six.text_type(in_str[0]).isdecimal():
-        print("ansible==%s" % in_str)
-    else:
-        print("ansible%s" % in_str)
-    sys.exit(0)
-
-if len(in_version) != 3 and in_version[1] != '.':
-    print(HELP_MSG)
-    sys.exit(1)
-else:
-    maj_version = in_version[0]
-    try:
-        min_version = int(in_version[2])
-    except ValueError:
-        print(HELP_MSG)
-        sys.exit(1)
-
-if maj_version == '1' and min_version == 9:
-    upper_bound = '2.0'
-elif maj_version == '2':
-    upper_bound = '2.%i' % (min_version + 1)
-else:
-    print(HELP_MSG)
-    sys.exit(1)
-
-print("ansible<%s" % upper_bound)
diff --git a/scripts/env-setup.sh b/scripts/env-setup.sh
index 4d4e21316..fe7c515b8 100755
--- a/scripts/env-setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/env-setup.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,16 @@ set -eu
 # NOTE(pas-ha) the above exports some useful variables like
 # $PYTHON , $PIP and $VENV depending on venv install or not
 
-ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION=${ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION:-${ANSIBLE_GIT_BRANCH:-stable-2.8}}
+DEFAULT_PIP_ANSIBLE='!=2.8.9,<2.9'
 
-ANSIBLE_PIP_STRING=$(${PYTHON} $(dirname $0)/ansible-pip-str.py ${ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION})
+ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION=${ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION:-${DEFAULT_PIP_ANSIBLE}}
+ANSIBLE_SOURCE_PATH=${ANSIBLE_SOURCE_PATH:-ansible${ANSIBLE_PIP_VERSION}}
 
 if [ -n "${VENV-}" ]; then
-    sudo ${PIP} install --ignore-installed "${ANSIBLE_PIP_STRING}"
+    sudo ${PIP} install --ignore-installed "${ANSIBLE_SOURCE_PATH}"
     ANSIBLE=${VENV}/bin/ansible
 else
-    ${PIP} install --user --upgrade "${ANSIBLE_PIP_STRING}"
+    ${PIP} install --user --upgrade "${ANSIBLE_SOURCE_PATH}"
     ANSIBLE=${HOME}/.local/bin/ansible
 fi