diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 230249f..9bee3dd 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@
 
 [testenv:plugin-sanity-check]
 # perform tempest plugin sanity
+basepython = python3
 whitelist_externals = bash
 commands =
   bash tools/tempest-plugin-sanity.sh