diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index aaf1dc6d8f45..a3c3fa18b50b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ virtualenv_awx:
 			mkdir $(VENV_BASE); \
 		fi; \
 		if [ ! -d "$(VENV_BASE)/awx" ]; then \
-			virtualenv -p $(PYTHON) $(VENV_BASE)/awx; \
+			$(PYTHON) -m venv $(VENV_BASE)/awx; \
 			$(VENV_BASE)/awx/bin/pip install $(PIP_OPTIONS) $(VENV_BOOTSTRAP); \
 		fi; \
 	fi
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ version_file:
 	if [ "$(VENV_BASE)" ]; then \
 		. $(VENV_BASE)/awx/bin/activate; \
 	fi; \
-	python -c "import awx; print(awx.__version__)" > /var/lib/awx/.awx_version; \
+	$(PYTHON) -c "import awx; print(awx.__version__)" > /var/lib/awx/.awx_version; \
 
 # Do any one-time init tasks.
 comma := ,
@@ -299,8 +299,8 @@ swagger: reports
 check: flake8 pep8 # pyflakes pylint
 
 awx-link:
-	[ -d "/awx_devel/awx.egg-info" ] || python3 /awx_devel/setup.py egg_info_dev
-	cp -f /tmp/awx.egg-link /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/site-packages/awx.egg-link
+	[ -d "/awx_devel/awx.egg-info" ] || $(PYTHON) /awx_devel/setup.py egg_info_dev
+	cp -f /tmp/awx.egg-link /venv/awx/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/site-packages/awx.egg-link
 
 TEST_DIRS ?= awx/main/tests/unit awx/main/tests/functional awx/conf/tests awx/sso/tests
 
diff --git a/awxkit/setup.py b/awxkit/setup.py
index b446ba0a90eb..ebca5cb497ef 100644
--- a/awxkit/setup.py
+++ b/awxkit/setup.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def run(self):
         'PyYAML',
         'requests',
     ],
-    python_requires=">=3.6",
+    python_requires=">=3.8",
     extras_require={
         'formatting': ['jq'],
         'websockets': ['websocket-client==0.57.0'],
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def run(self):
         'Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS X',
         'Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux',
         'Programming Language :: Python',
-        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6',
+        'Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8',
         'Topic :: System :: Software Distribution',
         'Topic :: System :: Systems Administration',
     ],
diff --git a/awxkit/tox.ini b/awxkit/tox.ini
index 42c72bd6080f..73c9493e1d75 100644
--- a/awxkit/tox.ini
+++ b/awxkit/tox.ini
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ skip_missing_interpreters = true
 # skipsdist = true
 
 [testenv]
-basepython = python3.6
+basepython = python3.8
 passenv = TRAVIS TRAVIS_JOB_ID TRAVIS_BRANCH
 setenv =
     PYTHONPATH = {toxinidir}:{env:PYTHONPATH:}:.
diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
index fc407b5f17fe..d5d72734336f 100644
--- a/pytest.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [pytest]
 DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE = awx.settings.development
-python_paths = /var/lib/awx/venv/tower/lib/python3.6/site-packages
-site_dirs = /var/lib/awx/venv/tower/lib/python3.6/site-packages
+python_paths = /var/lib/awx/venv/tower/lib/python3.8/site-packages
+site_dirs = /var/lib/awx/venv/tower/lib/python3.8/site-packages
 python_files = *.py
 addopts = --reuse-db --nomigrations --tb=native
 markers =
diff --git a/requirements/updater.sh b/requirements/updater.sh
index 2911aaf0083e..cca8b4a8ad8a 100755
--- a/requirements/updater.sh
+++ b/requirements/updater.sh
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ _cleanup() {
 generate_requirements() {
   venv="`pwd`/venv"
   echo $venv
-  /usr/bin/python3.6 -m venv "${venv}"
+  /usr/bin/python3.8 -m venv "${venv}"
   # shellcheck disable=SC1090
   source ${venv}/bin/activate
 
-  ${venv}/bin/python3.6 -m pip install -U pip pip-tools
+  ${venv}/bin/python3.8 -m pip install -U pip pip-tools
 
   ${pip_compile} --output-file requirements.txt "${requirements_in}" "${requirements_git}"
   # consider the git requirements for purposes of resolving deps
diff --git a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/templates/Dockerfile.j2 b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/templates/Dockerfile.j2
index 62964abafe80..afad459c5436 100644
--- a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/templates/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/templates/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ RUN dnf -y update && \
     patch \
     @postgresql:12 \
     postgresql-devel \
-    python3-devel \
-    python3-pip \
-    python3-psycopg2 \
-    python3-setuptools \
+    python38-devel \
+    python38-pip \
+    python38-psycopg2 \
+    python38-setuptools \
     swig \
     unzip \
     xmlsec1-devel \
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ RUN dnf -y update && \
     @postgresql:12 \
     python3-devel \
     python3-libselinux \
-    python3-pip \
-    python3-psycopg2 \
-    python3-setuptools \
+    python38-pip \
+    python38-psycopg2 \
+    python38-setuptools \
     rsync \
     subversion \
     sudo \
@@ -228,8 +228,8 @@ RUN for dir in \
 RUN for dir in \
       /var/lib/awx/venv \
       /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin \
-      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.6 \
-      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.6/site-packages \
+      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.8 \
+      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.8/site-packages \
       /var/lib/awx/projects \
       /var/lib/awx/rsyslog \
       /var/run/awx-rsyslog \
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ RUN for dir in \
     do mkdir -m 0775 -p $dir ; chmod g+rw $dir ; chgrp root $dir ; done && \
     for file in \
       /var/run/nginx.pid \
-      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.6/site-packages/awx.egg-link ; \
+      /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/lib/python3.8/site-packages/awx.egg-link ; \
     do touch $file ; chmod g+rw $file ; done
 {% endif %}