diff --git a/test-playbooks/ensure-pip.yaml b/test-playbooks/ensure-pip.yaml
index f8eaa529a..2fe57d56a 100644
--- a/test-playbooks/ensure-pip.yaml
+++ b/test-playbooks/ensure-pip.yaml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
         cd {{ ansible_user_dir }}/src/opendev.org/zuul/zuul
         # This should run anywhere without too much logic ...
         run_pip=$(command -v pip3 || command -v pip2 || command -v pip)
+        # Preinstall pbr to work around very old distutils lacking SNI support
+        $run_pip install pbr
         $run_pip wheel --no-deps .
         ls zuul-*.whl || exit 1