diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 242ba3e6d3..82bf0a33fb 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ commands =
 description =
   Run style checks.
 deps = {[testenv]deps}
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   bash tools/flake8wrap.sh {posargs}
   # Check that all JSON files don't have \r\n in line.
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:fast8]
 description =
   Run style checks on the changes made since HEAD~. For a full run including docs, use 'pep8'
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   bash tools/flake8wrap.sh -HEAD
 
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ commands =
 # TODO(melwitt): This can be removed when functional tests are gating with
 # python 3.x
 basepython = python2.7
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/py27
 setenv = {[testenv]setenv}
 commands =
   {[testenv]commands}
@@ -91,11 +94,13 @@ commands =
 # with python 3.5
 [testenv:functional-py35]
 basepython = python3.5
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/py35
 setenv = {[testenv]setenv}
 commands =
   {[testenv:functional]commands}
 
 [testenv:api-samples]
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 setenv =
   {[testenv]setenv}
   GENERATE_SAMPLES=True
@@ -106,14 +111,17 @@ commands =
   stestr slowest
 
 [testenv:genconfig]
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   oslo-config-generator --config-file=etc/nova/nova-config-generator.conf
 
 [testenv:genpolicy]
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   oslopolicy-sample-generator --config-file=etc/nova/nova-policy-generator.conf
 
 [testenv:genplacementpolicy]
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   oslopolicy-sample-generator --config-file=etc/nova/placement-policy-generator.conf
 
@@ -122,6 +130,7 @@ commands =
 # section once we rely on coverage 4.3+
 #
 # https://bitbucket.org/ned/coveragepy/issues/519/
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 setenv =
   {[testenv]setenv}
   PYTHON=coverage run --source nova --parallel-mode
@@ -135,6 +144,7 @@ commands =
   coverage report
 
 [testenv:debug]
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands =
   {[testenv]commands}
   oslo_debug_helper {posargs}
@@ -167,6 +177,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:api-guide]
 description =
   Generate the API guide. Called from CI scripts to test and publish to developer.openstack.org.
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/docs
 deps = {[testenv:docs]deps}
 commands =
   rm -rf api-guide/build
@@ -175,6 +186,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:api-ref]
 description =
   Generate the API ref. Called from CI scripts to test and publish to developer.openstack.org.
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/docs
 deps = {[testenv:docs]deps}
 commands =
   rm -rf api-ref/build
@@ -183,6 +195,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:placement-api-ref]
 description =
   Generate the Placement API ref. Called from CI scripts to test and publish to developer.openstack.org.
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/docs
 deps = {[testenv:docs]deps}
 commands =
   # Check that all placement api routes are in the documentation
@@ -193,6 +206,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:releasenotes]
 description =
   Generate release notes.
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/docs
 deps = {[testenv:docs]deps}
 commands =
   rm -rf releasenotes/build
@@ -201,6 +215,7 @@ commands =
 [testenv:bandit]
 # NOTE(browne): This is required for the integration test job of the bandit
 # project. Please do not remove.
+envdir = {toxworkdir}/venv
 commands = bandit -r nova -x tests -n 5 -ll
 
 [flake8]