diff --git a/tasks/horizon_install_source.yml b/tasks/horizon_install_source.yml
index 50e152ba..e5f53d1f 100644
--- a/tasks/horizon_install_source.yml
+++ b/tasks/horizon_install_source.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,18 @@
         option: "venv_tag"
         value: "{{ horizon_venv_tag }}"
 
+- name: Find the venv's python version
+  find:
+    paths: "{{ horizon_bin | dirname }}/lib/"
+    patterns: "python*"
+    file_type: directory
+    recurse: no
+  register: _horizon_python_venv_details
+
+- name: Set python lib dir fact
+  set_fact:
+    horizon_lib_dir: "{{ _horizon_python_venv_details.files[0].path }}/dist-packages"
+
 - name: Create horizon link for venv
   file:
     src: "{{ horizon_lib_dir | dirname }}/site-packages"
diff --git a/templates/openstack_dashboard.conf.j2 b/templates/openstack_dashboard.conf.j2
index f8d8a899..89eade18 100644
--- a/templates/openstack_dashboard.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/openstack_dashboard.conf.j2
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 {% endif %}
 
     WSGIScriptAlias / {{ horizon_lib_wsgi_file }}
-    WSGIDaemonProcess horizon user={{ horizon_system_user_name }} group={{ horizon_system_group_name }} processes={{ horizon_wsgi_processes | default(horizon_wsgi_threads) }} threads={{ horizon_wsgi_threads }} python-path={{ horizon_bin | dirname }}/lib/python2.7/site-packages
+    WSGIDaemonProcess horizon user={{ horizon_system_user_name }} group={{ horizon_system_group_name }} processes={{ horizon_wsgi_processes | default(horizon_wsgi_threads) }} threads={{ horizon_wsgi_threads }} python-path={{ horizon_lib_dir | dirname }}/site-packages
 
     WSGIProcessGroup horizon
     WSGIApplicationGroup %{GLOBAL}
diff --git a/vars/debian.yml b/vars/debian.yml
index a873119e..7b9ff0ce 100644
--- a/vars/debian.yml
+++ b/vars/debian.yml
@@ -67,5 +67,4 @@ horizon_apache_modules:
     state: "present"
 
 _horizon_lib_dir: "/usr/share/openstack-dashboard"
-horizon_python_lib_dir: "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages"
 horizon_dashboard_panel_dir: "{{ _horizon_lib_dir }}/openstack_dashboard/local/enabled"
diff --git a/vars/redhat-7.yml b/vars/redhat-7.yml
index 45272363..7d0232a8 100644
--- a/vars/redhat-7.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat-7.yml
@@ -58,5 +58,4 @@ horizon_apache_default_sites:
   - "/etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf"
 
 _horizon_lib_dir: "/usr/share/openstack-dashboard"
-horizon_python_lib_dir: "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages"
 horizon_dashboard_panel_dir: "{{ _horizon_lib_dir }}/openstack_dashboard/local/enabled"
diff --git a/vars/source_install.yml b/vars/source_install.yml
index 8d2eaff9..6d65a87b 100644
--- a/vars/source_install.yml
+++ b/vars/source_install.yml
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@
 
 horizon_package_list: "{{ horizon_distro_packages }}"
 _horizon_bin: "/openstack/venvs/horizon-{{ horizon_venv_tag }}/bin"
-_horizon_lib_dir: "{{ _horizon_bin | dirname }}/lib/python2.7/dist-packages"
-horizon_python_lib_dir: "{{ _horizon_lib_dir }}"
+
+#NOTE(jrosser) for compatibility with py2 and py3 we detect the location of
+#this dir during the source install and set a fact
+#_horizon_lib_dir: "{{ _horizon_bin | dirname }}/lib/python2.7/dist-packages"
+
 horizon_manage: "{{ _horizon_bin }}/horizon-manage.py"
 horizon_dashboard_panel_dir: "{{ _horizon_lib_dir }}/openstack_dashboard/local/enabled"
 _dashboard_panels_location:
diff --git a/vars/suse.yml b/vars/suse.yml
index 0ac624fb..dc0b3f39 100644
--- a/vars/suse.yml
+++ b/vars/suse.yml
@@ -77,5 +77,4 @@ horizon_apache_modules:
     state: "present"
 
 _horizon_lib_dir: "/srv/www/openstack-dashboard"
-horizon_python_lib_dir: "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages"
 horizon_dashboard_panel_dir: "{{ _horizon_lib_dir }}/openstack_dashboard/enabled"