diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/package-installs.yaml b/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/package-installs.yaml
index ed9f71628..4df83ea44 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/package-installs.yaml
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/package-installs.yaml
@@ -31,3 +31,6 @@ python-dev:
 python3-dev:
   installtype: source
   dib_python_version: 3
+# Separate package on debubuntu
+python3-venv:
+  dib_python_version: 3
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/pkg-map b/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/pkg-map
index c0f4b4cfe..d28db6da1 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/pkg-map
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/pip-and-virtualenv/pkg-map
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
     }
   },
   "family": {
+    "debian": {
+      "python3-venv": "python3-venv"
+    },
     "gentoo": {
       "python-pip": "dev-python/pip",
       "python3-pip": "dev-python/pip",
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@
   },
   "default": {
     "python-xml": "",
-    "python3": ""
+    "python3": "",
+    "python3-venv": ""
   }
 }
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/python-venv-d5b04fcf57e460bf.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/python-venv-d5b04fcf57e460bf.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..137bc9ca6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/python-venv-d5b04fcf57e460bf.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    The ``pip-and-virtualenv`` element also installs ``python3-venv``
+    on Python-3 Debian-like distributions to ensure
+    ``$DIB_PYTHON_VIRTUALENV`` works as expected.
\ No newline at end of file