diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/package-list-name-changes-7c8a6dd652b271cf.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/package-list-name-changes-7c8a6dd652b271cf.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5a0d506e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/package-list-name-changes-7c8a6dd652b271cf.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - The variable ``ironic_api_apt_packages`` has been renamed to
+    ``ironic_api_distro_packages``.
+  - The variable ``ironic_conductor_apt_packages`` has been renamed to
+    ``ironic_conductor_distro_packages``.
+  - The variable ``ironic_conductor_standalone_apt_packages`` has been renamed to
+    ``ironic_conductor_standalone_distro_packages``.
diff --git a/tasks/ironic_api_install.yml b/tasks/ironic_api_install.yml
index 537d3bea..2f0d7575 100644
--- a/tasks/ironic_api_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/ironic_api_install.yml
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@
   when:
     - ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
   vars:
-    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_api_apt_packages }}"
+    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_api_distro_packages }}"
diff --git a/tasks/ironic_conductor_install.yml b/tasks/ironic_conductor_install.yml
index 5362898f..bf45f55e 100644
--- a/tasks/ironic_conductor_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/ironic_conductor_install.yml
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
   when:
     - ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
   vars:
-    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_conductor_apt_packages }}"
+    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_conductor_distro_packages }}"
 
 - include: ironic_install_apt.yml
   when:
     - ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
     - ironic_standalone
   vars:
-    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_conductor_standalone_apt_packages }}"
+    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_conductor_standalone_distro_packages }}"
diff --git a/tasks/ironic_install.yml b/tasks/ironic_install.yml
index b36e945a..42de2cc9 100644
--- a/tasks/ironic_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/ironic_install.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     - ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
     - ironic_developer_mode | bool
   vars:
-    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_developer_apt_packages }}"
+    apt_pkgs: "{{ ironic_developer_mode_distro_packages }}"
 
 - name: Clone requirements git repository
   git:
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-14.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-14.04.yml
index 863be3a6..94885b86 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-14.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-14.04.yml
@@ -15,15 +15,15 @@
 
 cache_timeout: 600
 
-ironic_developer_apt_packages:
+ironic_developer_mode_distro_packages:
   - git-core
 
-ironic_api_apt_packages:
+ironic_api_distro_packages:
   - apache2
   - apache2-utils
   - libapache2-mod-wsgi
 
-ironic_conductor_apt_packages:
+ironic_conductor_distro_packages:
   - libxml2-dev
   - syslinux
   - syslinux-common
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ ironic_conductor_apt_packages:
   - ipmitool
   - tftpd-hpa
 
-ironic_conductor_standalone_apt_packages:
+ironic_conductor_standalone_distro_packages:
   - isc-dhcp-server
 
 ironic_pxelinux_path: "/usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0"
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
index 6b7e3eb5..b29e73e6 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
@@ -15,16 +15,16 @@
 
 cache_timeout: 600
 
-ironic_developer_apt_packages:
+ironic_developer_mode_distro_packages:
   - git-core
   - libffi-dev
 
-ironic_api_apt_packages:
+ironic_api_distro_packages:
   - apache2
   - apache2-utils
   - libapache2-mod-wsgi
 
-ironic_conductor_apt_packages:
+ironic_conductor_distro_packages:
   - libxml2-dev
   - syslinux
   - syslinux-common
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ ironic_conductor_apt_packages:
   - ipmitool
   - tftpd-hpa
 
-ironic_conductor_standalone_apt_packages:
+ironic_conductor_standalone_distro_packages:
   - isc-dhcp-server
 
 ironic_pxelinux_path: "/usr/lib/PXELINUX/pxelinux.0"