--- a/buildfarm/maintenance/end_to_end_reconfig.sh
+++ b/buildfarm/maintenance/end_to_end_reconfig.sh
@@ -255,17 +255,17 @@ if ! python --version 2>&1 | grep -q '^P
     echo "ERROR: Python version 2.7 not found - please make sure python 2.7 is in your PATH" >&2
     exit 66
 fi
 
 run_virtualenv() {
     if hash virtualenv2 2>/dev/null; then
         virtualenv2 "$@"
     else
-        virtualenv "$@"
+        virtualenv -p python2 "$@"
     fi
 }
 
 for package in fabric requests; do
     installed_package=false
     echo "  * Checking ${package} package is available in python environment..."
     if ! python -c "import ${package}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         echo "  * Package ${package} not found"