diff --git a/docs/releasenotes.rst b/docs/releasenotes.rst
index f7b054a16faa73fd19259fbdc653f83284866bdf..e31d9566b7ecefe1c0170bf18148387b9a9410c1 100644
--- a/docs/releasenotes.rst
+++ b/docs/releasenotes.rst
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@ Release notes
 =============
 
 
+x.y.z
+-----
+
+* ``common`` role
+
+  * Fixed permission errors with Python cache directories in the pip
+    requirements upgrade checks virtual environment that can happen if
+    the initial virtual environment set-up fails.
+
+
 8.0.0
 -----
 
diff --git a/roles/common/tasks/main.yml b/roles/common/tasks/main.yml
index ab4fa0a2b80304d422687dc8dfc30108daa69210..7538388c9b4c53b04ab6ddbc2bf0c46e7e0abeb5 100644
--- a/roles/common/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/common/tasks/main.yml
@@ -374,6 +374,8 @@
       - "/var/lib/pipreqcheck/virtualenv/bin/python"
       - "-c"
       - "import sys; print(sys.version.split(' ')[0])"
+  become: true
+  become_user: "pipreqcheck"
   # Virtual environment perhaps does not exist.
   failed_when: false
   changed_when: false
@@ -385,6 +387,8 @@
       - "bash"
       - "-c"
       - "source '/var/lib/pipreqcheck/virtualenv/bin/activate'; printenv PS1"
+  become: true
+  become_user: "pipreqcheck"
   failed_when: false
   changed_when: false
   register: current_virtualenv_prompt