diff --git a/tests/pre.yml b/tests/pre.yml
index f3d6092c8b..aba2cff360 100644
--- a/tests/pre.yml
+++ b/tests/pre.yml
@@ -41,27 +41,13 @@
   tasks:
     # NOTE(yoctozepto): we use gawk to add time to each logged line
     # outside of Ansible (e.g. for init-runonce)
-    - name: Install gawk and Python modules (Debian/Ubuntu)
-      apt:
+    - name: Install gawk and required Python modules
+      become: true
+      package:
         name:
           - gawk
           - python3-pip
           - python3-setuptools
-          - python3-wheel
-      become: true
-      when: ansible_facts.os_family == 'Debian'
-
-    # NOTE(mnasiadka): python3-wheel is in crb repo for EL9
-    - name: Install gawk and Python modules (RedHat)
-      dnf:
-        enablerepo: "crb"
-        name:
-          - gawk
-          - python3-pip
-          - python3-setuptools
-          - python3-wheel
-      become: true
-      when: ansible_facts.os_family == 'RedHat'
 
     - name: Ensure /tmp/logs/ dir
       file: