diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 0dfcb44b5..c67b88fc8 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ deps = -r{toxinidir}/test-requirements.txt
 commands = {posargs}
 
 [testenv:pyflakes]
+basepython = python3
 deps = pyflakes
 commands = pyflakes setup.py scripts
 
 [testenv:linters]
+basepython = python3
 whitelist_externals = bash
 commands = flake8 --max-line-length 80 {toxinidir} {posargs}
 
diff --git a/zuul.d/layout.yaml b/zuul.d/layout.yaml
index 575f6ceaf..5152494a1 100644
--- a/zuul.d/layout.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/layout.yaml
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
       - tripleo-multinode-branchful
     check:
       jobs:
+        - openstack-tox-linters
         - openstack-tox-py27:
             files:
               - ^scripts/emit_releases_file/.*$
         - openstack-tox-py35:
             files:
               - ^scripts/emit_releases_file/.*$
-        - openstack-tox-linters
         - tripleo-ci-centos-7-scenario001-multinode-oooq:
             files:
               - ^playbooks/tripleo-ci/.*$
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
     gate:
       queue: tripleo
       jobs:
+          # Don't put a files section on the linters job, otherwise no
+          # jobs might be defined and nothing can merge in this repo.
+        - openstack-tox-linters
         - openstack-tox-py27:
             files:
               - ^scripts/emit_releases_file/.*$