diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/utility_all.yml b/inventory/group_vars/utility_all.yml
index 0ff96541f4..669054f1d6 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/utility_all.yml
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/utility_all.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ utility_distro_packages:
   - git
   - bash-completion
 
+_utility_devel_distro_packages_debian:
+  - gcc
+  - python3-dev
+
+_utility_devel_distro_packages_redhat:
+  - gcc
+  - "{{ ansible_distribution_major_version is version('8', '<') | ternary('python-devel', 'python36-devel') }}"
+
+# Distribution packages needed for the utility pip package wheel build
+utility_devel_distro_packages: "{{ (ansible_os_family == 'RedHat') | ternary(_utility_devel_distro_packages_redhat, _utility_devel_distro_packages_debian) }}"
+
 # Packages installed into the utility container for distro installs
 # NOTE(jrosser) this can be simplified when all supported
 # distros use python3
diff --git a/playbooks/utility-install.yml b/playbooks/utility-install.yml
index 0324152ba6..7df14ba35e 100644
--- a/playbooks/utility-install.yml
+++ b/playbooks/utility-install.yml
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@
           vars:
             venv_python_executable: "{{ utility_venv_python_executable | default(openstack_venv_python_executable) }}"
             venv_install_destination_path: "{{ utility_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+            venv_build_distro_package_list: "{{ utility_devel_distro_packages }}"
             venv_pip_install_args: "{{ pip_install_options | default('') }}"
             venv_build_constraints:
               - "--constraint {{ utility_upper_constraints_url }}"