diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index c2ce131..e5e88c0 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,15 @@ venv_pip_packages: []
 # Arguments to pass to pip when installing into the venv
 venv_pip_install_args: ""
 
+# Some python packages have C bindings which tend to be very
+# particular about the version of their underlying shared libraries.
+# To ensure things run smoothly for stable releases, we opt to
+# use the distro packages for these python packages and symlink the
+# appropriate python library files and their bindings into the venv.
+# This variable should contain the list of packages installed which
+# should be symlinked into the venv.
+venv_packages_to_symlink: []
+
 # The python executable to use for creating the venv
 venv_python_executable: "python2"
 
diff --git a/tasks/python_venv_install.yml b/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
index 89fd798..ae9dd39 100644
--- a/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/python_venv_install.yml
@@ -83,3 +83,38 @@
   delay: 2
   notify:
     - venv changed
+
+- name: Add symlinks from distribution python packages
+  when:
+    - venv_packages_to_symlink | length > 0
+  block:
+    - name: Find the venv's python version
+      find:
+        paths: "{{ venv_install_destination_path }}/lib/"
+        patterns: "python*"
+        file_type: directory
+        recurse: no
+      register: _python_venv_details
+
+    - name: Set python venv details
+      set_fact:
+        venv_python_version: "{{ (_python_venv_details.files[0].path | basename) }}"
+        venv_python_major_version: "{{ (_python_venv_details.files[0].path | basename)[:-2] }}"
+        venv_python_lib_folder: "{{ _python_venv_details.files[0].path }}"
+
+    - name: Search for lib files to link
+      shell: >-
+        {{ (ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt') | ternary('dpkg -L ' ~ (venv_packages_to_symlink | join(' ')), 'rpm -ql ' ~ (venv_packages_to_symlink | join(' ')) ) }}
+        | egrep '^.*{{ venv_python_major_version }}.*/(site|dist)-packages/.*'
+      args:
+        warn: no
+      changed_when: false
+      register: _python_files
+
+    - name: Link the python host package files into venv
+      file:
+        src: "{{ item }}"
+        dest: "{{ venv_python_lib_folder }}/site-packages/{{ item | basename }}"
+        state: link
+        force: yes
+      with_items: "{{ _python_files.stdout_lines }}"