diff --git a/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml b/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
index 25cb1591c053f9ecba153133beb85db5bb185a85..1a37a7f4e10d62724357b9b529185cfd0ed813d9 100644
--- a/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/wsgi_website/tasks/main.yml
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 # setuptools is excluded on Stretch, because it would pull-in the
 # pkg-resources package that then messes with pip freeze etc.
 - name: Create Python virtual environment
-  command: '/usr/bin/virtualenv {{ no_setuptools }} --python "{{ python_interpreter }}" --prompt "({{ fqdn }})" "{{ home }}/virtualenv"'
+  command: '/usr/bin/virtualenv --no-setuptools --python "{{ python_interpreter }}" --prompt "({{ fqdn }})" "{{ home }}/virtualenv"'
   args:
     creates: "{{ home }}/virtualenv/bin/{{ python_interpreter | basename }}"
   become: true