diff --git a/vars/default_vars.yml b/vars/default_vars.yml
index a45384e1e..195acec53 100644
--- a/vars/default_vars.yml
+++ b/vars/default_vars.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ iiab_env_file: "{{ iiab_etc_path }}/iiab.env"
 iiab_ini_file: "{{ iiab_etc_path }}/iiab.ini"
 iiab_state_file: "{{ iiab_etc_path }}/iiab_state.yml"
 
+# keep syncd with scripts/ansible
+ansible_venv_path: /usr/local/ansible
+ansible_collections_path: "{{ ansible_venv_path }}/collections"
+
 iiab_base: /opt/iiab
 iiab_dir: "{{ iiab_base }}/iiab"
 pip_packages_dir: "{{ iiab_base }}/pip-packages"