diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 8d4d78c..383d545 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ debug: False
 # for the service setup. The host must already have
 # clouds.yaml properly configured.
 sahara_service_setup_host: "{{ openstack_service_setup_host | default('localhost') }}"
+sahara_service_setup_host_python_interpreter: "{{ openstack_service_setup_host_python_interpreter | default((sahara_service_setup_host == 'localhost') | ternary(ansible_playbook_python, ansible_python['executable'])) }}"
 
 # Set the package install state for distribution and pip packages
 # Options are 'present' and 'latest'
diff --git a/tasks/sahara_service_setup.yml b/tasks/sahara_service_setup.yml
index 5b4ed5d..101f9d2 100644
--- a/tasks/sahara_service_setup.yml
+++ b/tasks/sahara_service_setup.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@
 - name: Setup the service
   delegate_to: "{{ sahara_service_setup_host }}"
   vars:
-    ansible_python_interpreter: >-
-      {{ (sahara_service_setup_host == 'localhost') | ternary(ansible_playbook_python, ansible_python['executable']) }}
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ sahara_service_setup_host_python_interpreter }}"
   block:
     - name: Add service to the keystone service catalog
       os_keystone_service: