diff --git a/doc/requirements.txt b/doc/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b666029
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# The order of packages is significant, because pip processes them in the order
+# of appearance. Changing the order has an impact on the overall integration
+# process, which may cause wedges in the gate later.
+openstackdocstheme>=1.17.0 # Apache-2.0
+reno>=2.5.0 # Apache-2.0
+sphinx>=1.6.2 # BSD
diff --git a/test-requirements.txt b/test-requirements.txt
index 37644d0..1a7f1a0 100644
--- a/test-requirements.txt
+++ b/test-requirements.txt
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 # of appearance. Changing the order has an impact on the overall integration
 # process, which may cause wedges in the gate later.
 hacking!=0.13.0,<0.14,>=0.12.0 # Apache-2.0
-# needed for doc build
-sphinx>=1.6.2 # BSD
-openstackdocstheme>=1.17.0 # Apache-2.0
-reno>=2.5.0 # Apache-2.0
 mock>=2.0.0 # BSD
 coverage!=4.4,>=4.0 # Apache-2.0
 oslotest>=1.10.0 # Apache-2.0
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index e7ea1e2..c0df8a6 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -133,9 +133,14 @@
 commands = {posargs}
 
 [testenv:docs]
+deps =
+  -c{env:UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:https://git.openstack.org/cgit/openstack/requirements/plain/upper-constraints.txt}
+  -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+  -r{toxinidir}/doc/requirements.txt
 commands =
-    rm -rf doc/build
-    python setup.py build_sphinx {posargs}
+  rm -rf doc/build
+  sphinx-build -b html doc/source doc/build/html
+whitelist_externals = rm
 
 [testenv:pep8]
 commands =
@@ -161,9 +166,15 @@
 import-order-style = pep8
 
 [testenv:releasenotes]
+deps =
+  -c{env:UPPER_CONSTRAINTS_FILE:https://git.openstack.org/cgit/openstack/requirements/plain/upper-constraints.txt}
+  -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
+  -r{toxinidir}/doc/requirements.txt
 commands =
-    rm -rf releasenotes/build
-    sphinx-build -a -E -W -d releasenotes/build/doctrees -b html releasenotes/source releasenotes/build/html
+  rm -rf releasenotes/build
+  sphinx-build -a -E -W -d releasenotes/build/doctrees \
+         -b html releasenotes/source releasenotes/build/html
+whitelist_externals = rm
 
 [testenv:pip-check-reqs]
 # Do not install test-requirements as that will pollute the virtualenv for