diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index a3cbe7f..7f4d268 100755
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ debug: False
 # for the service setup. The host must already have
 # clouds.yaml properly configured.
 searchlight_service_setup_host: "{{ openstack_service_setup_host | default('localhost') }}"
+searchlight_service_setup_host_python_interpreter: "{{ openstack_service_setup_host_python_interpreter | default((searchlight_service_setup_host == 'localhost') | ternary(ansible_playbook_python, ansible_python['executable'])) }}"
 
 # Set the package install state for distribution and pip packages
 # Options are 'present' and 'latest'
diff --git a/tasks/searchlight_service_setup.yml b/tasks/searchlight_service_setup.yml
index ad522c9..42a74ec 100644
--- a/tasks/searchlight_service_setup.yml
+++ b/tasks/searchlight_service_setup.yml
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@
 - name: Setup the service
   delegate_to: "{{ searchlight_service_setup_host }}"
   vars:
-    ansible_python_interpreter: >-
-      {{ (searchlight_service_setup_host == 'localhost') | ternary(ansible_playbook_python, ansible_python['executable']) }}
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ searchlight_service_setup_host_python_interpreter }}"
   block:
     - name: Add service to the keystone service catalog
       os_keystone_service: