diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index b6f55f5..67bb876 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -23,24 +23,10 @@ sahara_developer_constraints:
   - "git+{{ sahara_git_repo }}@{{ sahara_git_install_branch }}#egg=sahara"
 
 # Name of the virtual env to deploy into
-sahara_venv_tag: untagged 
-sahara_venv_bin: "/openstack/venvs/sahara-{{ sahara_venv_tag }}/bin"
+sahara_venv_tag: untagged
+sahara_bin: "/openstack/venvs/sahara-{{ sahara_venv_tag }}/bin"
 
-# Set this to enable or disable installing in a venv
-sahara_venv_enabled: true
-
-# The bin path defaults to the venv path however if installation in a
-#  venv is disabled the bin path will be dynamically set based on the
-#  system path used when the installing.
-sahara_bin: "{{ sahara_venv_bin }}"
-
-# Set the etc dir path where sahara is installed.
-#  This is used for role access to the db migrations.
-#  Example:
-#  sahara_etc_dir: "/usr/local/etc/sahara"
-sahara_venv_etc_dir: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}/etc/sahara"
-sahara_non_venv_etc_dir: "/usr/local/etc/sahara"
-sahara_etc_dir: "{{ (sahara_venv_enabled | bool) | ternary(sahara_venv_etc_dir, sahara_non_venv_etc_dir) }}"
+sahara_etc_dir: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}/etc/sahara" 
 
 sahara_venv_download_url: http://127.0.0.1/venvs/untagged/ubuntu/sahara.tgz
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/os_sahara-only-install-venv-8ead48687897ce0b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/os_sahara-only-install-venv-8ead48687897ce0b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c002b78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/os_sahara-only-install-venv-8ead48687897ce0b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - Installation of sahara and its dependent pip packages will now only
+    occur within a Python virtual environment. The ``sahara_venv_bin``,
+    ``sahara_venv_enabled``, ``sahara_venv_etc_dir``, and
+    ``sahara_non_venv_etc_dir`` variables have been removed.
diff --git a/tasks/sahara_install.yml b/tasks/sahara_install.yml
index ec3393c..232e0fb 100644
--- a/tasks/sahara_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/sahara_install.yml
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@
     get_md5: False
   when:
     - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
   register: local_venv_stat
   tags:
     - sahara-install
@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@
     return_content: True
   when:
     - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
   register: remote_venv_checksum
   tags:
     - sahara-install
@@ -114,7 +112,6 @@
   register: get_venv
   when:
     - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
     - (local_venv_stat.stat.exists == False or
         {{ local_venv_stat.stat.checksum is defined and local_venv_stat.stat.checksum != remote_venv_checksum.content | trim }})
   tags:
@@ -124,17 +121,15 @@
 - name: Set sahara get_venv fact
   set_fact:
     sahara_get_venv: "{{ get_venv }}"
-  when: sahara_venv_enabled | bool
   tags:
     - sahara-install
     - sahara-pip-packages
 
 - name: Remove existing venv
   file:
-    path: "{{ sahara_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    path: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}"
     state: absent
   when:
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
     - sahara_get_venv | changed
   tags:
     - sahara-install
@@ -142,12 +137,9 @@
 
 - name: Create sahara venv dir
   file:
-    path: "{{ sahara_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    path: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}"
     state: directory
-  when:
-    - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-    - sahara_get_venv | changed
+  register: sahara_venv_dir
   tags:
     - sahara-install
     - sahara-pip-packages
@@ -155,34 +147,22 @@
 - name: Unarchive pre-built venv
   unarchive:
     src: "/var/cache/{{ sahara_venv_download_url | basename }}"
-    dest: "{{ sahara_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    dest: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}"
     copy: "no"
   when:
     - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-    - sahara_get_venv | changed
+    - sahara_get_venv | changed or sahara_venv_dir | changed
   notify:
     - Restart sahara services
   tags:
     - sahara-install
     - sahara-pip-packages
 
-- name: Update virtualenv path
-  command: >
-    virtualenv-tools --update-path=auto {{ sahara_venv_bin | dirname }}
-  when:
-    - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-    - sahara_get_venv | success
-  tags:
-    - sahara-install
-    - sahara-pip-packages
-
 - name: Install pip packages (venv)
   pip:
     name: "{{ item }}"
     state: present
-    virtualenv: "{{ sahara_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    virtualenv: "{{ sahara_bin | dirname }}"
     virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
     extra_args: "{{ pip_install_options_fact }}"
   register: install_packages
@@ -191,7 +171,6 @@
   delay: 2
   with_items: "{{ sahara_pip_packages }}"
   when:
-    - sahara_venv_enabled | bool
     - sahara_get_venv | failed or sahara_developer_mode | bool
   notify:
     - Restart sahara services
@@ -199,21 +178,13 @@
     - sahara-install
     - sahara-pip-packages
 
-- name: Install pip packages (no venv)
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: present
-    extra_args: "{{ pip_install_options_fact }}"
-  register: install_packages
-  until: install_packages|success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
-  with_items: "{{ sahara_pip_packages }}"
+- name: Update virtualenv path
+  command: >
+    virtualenv-tools --update-path=auto {{ sahara_bin | dirname }}
   when:
-    - not sahara_venv_enabled | bool
     - not sahara_developer_mode | bool
-  notify:
-    - Restart sahara services
+    - sahara_get_venv | success
   tags:
     - sahara-install
     - sahara-pip-packages
+
diff --git a/tasks/sahara_post_install.yml b/tasks/sahara_post_install.yml
index 2546484..3b4298c 100644
--- a/tasks/sahara_post_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/sahara_post_install.yml
@@ -39,18 +39,3 @@
   tags:
     - sahara-config
 
-- name: Get sahara command path
-  command: which sahara
-  register: sahara_command_path
-  when:
-    - not sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - sahara-command-bin
-
-- name: Set sahara command path
-  set_fact:
-    sahara_bin: "{{ sahara_command_path.stdout | dirname }}"
-  when:
-    - not sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - sahara-command-bin
diff --git a/tasks/sahara_pre_install.yml b/tasks/sahara_pre_install.yml
index fe692ec..eb21208 100644
--- a/tasks/sahara_pre_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/sahara_pre_install.yml
@@ -46,17 +46,6 @@
   tags:
     - sahara-dirs
 
-- name: Create sahara venv dir
-  file:
-    path: "{{ item.path }}"
-    state: directory
-  with_items:
-    - { path: "/openstack/venvs" }
-    - { path: "{{ sahara_venv_bin }}" }
-  when: sahara_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - sahara-dirs
-
 - name: Test for log directory or link
   shell: |
     if [ -h "/var/log/sahara"  ]; then
diff --git a/templates/sahara-upstart-init.j2 b/templates/sahara-upstart-init.j2
index d9c079c..d8869f3 100644
--- a/templates/sahara-upstart-init.j2
+++ b/templates/sahara-upstart-init.j2
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ pre-start script
   mkdir -p "/var/lock/{{ program_name }}"
   chown {{ system_user }}:{{ system_group }} "/var/lock/{{ program_name }}"
 
-  {% if sahara_venv_enabled | bool -%}
-  . {{ sahara_venv_bin }}/activate
-  {%- endif %}
+  . {{ sahara_bin }}/activate
 
 end script
 
diff --git a/tests/test-vars.yml b/tests/test-vars.yml
index dfa0f80..951ff67 100644
--- a/tests/test-vars.yml
+++ b/tests/test-vars.yml
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ sahara_container_mysql_password: "SuperSecrete"
 sahara_rabbitmq_password: "secrete"
 sahara_rabbitmq_userid: sahara
 sahara_rabbitmq_vhost: /sahara
-sahara_venv_bin: "/openstack/venvs/sahara-{{ sahara_venv_tag }}/bin"
+sahara_bin: "/openstack/venvs/sahara-{{ sahara_venv_tag }}/bin"
 tempest_developer_mode: True
 tempest_git_install_branch: master
 tempest_venv_tag: "{{ tempest_git_install_branch }}"