diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/files/bashrc b/contrib/ci-workers/files/bashrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aaad18b92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/files/bashrc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export PATH=$HOME/venv/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
+export EDITOR=vim
diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/templates/buildbot-worker.service.j2 b/contrib/ci-workers/templates/buildbot-worker.service.j2
index ffe497bcf..d77e9559d 100644
--- a/contrib/ci-workers/templates/buildbot-worker.service.j2
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/templates/buildbot-worker.service.j2
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ After=network.target
 Type=forking
 PIDFile=/home/{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/{{ buildbot_worker_name }}/twistd.pid
 WorkingDirectory=/home/{{ buildbot_worker_user }}
-ExecStart={{ pip_bin_dir }}/buildbot-worker start {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
-ExecReload={{ pip_bin_dir }}/buildbot-worker restart {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
-ExecStop={{ pip_bin_dir }}/buildbot-worker stop {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
+ExecStart=/home/{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/venv/bin/buildbot-worker start {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
+ExecReload=/home/{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/venv/bin/buildbot-worker restart {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
+ExecStop=/home/{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/venv/bin/buildbot-worker stop {{ buildbot_worker_name }}
 Restart=always
 User={{ buildbot_worker_user }}
 
diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/unix.yml b/contrib/ci-workers/unix.yml
index 6e6cc49c4..17c46d6e0 100644
--- a/contrib/ci-workers/unix.yml
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/unix.yml
@@ -88,12 +88,11 @@
       include: tasks/install-pip.yml
       when: ansible_distribution == 'CentOS'
 
-    - name: Install required Python modules
+    - name: Install required Python system modules
       pip:
         name: "{{ item }}"
         state: latest
-      with_items: "{{ python_modules }}"
-      notify: restart buildbot-worker
+      with_items: "{{ system_modules }}"
 
     - name: Set up the Buildbot worker user
       user:
@@ -102,9 +101,18 @@
         shell: /bin/bash
         state: present
 
+    - name: Install required Python modules
+      pip:
+        name: "{{ item }}"
+        state: latest
+        virtualenv: "~{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/venv"
+      with_items: "{{ python_modules }}"
+      become_user: "{{ buildbot_worker_user }}"
+      notify: restart buildbot-worker
+
     - name: Create Buildbot worker
       command: >
-        buildbot-worker create-worker ~/{{ buildbot_worker_name }}
+        ~{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/venv/bin/buildbot-worker create-worker ~/{{ buildbot_worker_name }}
         {{ buildbot_master_host }}:{{ buildbot_master_port }}
         {{ buildbot_worker_name|quote }} {{ buildbot_worker_password|quote }}
       args:
@@ -127,6 +135,14 @@
         group: "{{ buildbot_worker_user }}"
         mode: "0644"
 
+    - name: Install custom bashrc for virtualenv
+      copy:
+        src: bashrc
+        dest: "~{{ buildbot_worker_user }}/.bashrc"
+        owner: "{{ buildbot_worker_user }}"
+        group: "{{ buildbot_worker_user }}"
+        mode: "0644"
+
     - name: Copy Buildbot worker systemd service unit
       template:
         src: templates/buildbot-worker.service.j2
diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/Archlinux.yml b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/Archlinux.yml
index ac4a44e5b..896a10304 100644
--- a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/Archlinux.yml
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/Archlinux.yml
@@ -4,4 +4,3 @@ buildbot_deps:
 build_deps:
   - multilib/gcc
   - make
-pip_bin_dir: /usr/bin
diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/CentOS.yml b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/CentOS.yml
index 7e09b0717..906f53a42 100644
--- a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/CentOS.yml
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/CentOS.yml
@@ -10,4 +10,3 @@ dist_deps:
   - pkgconfig # Required until b556beda264308e040f8d88aca4f2f386a0183d9 is pulled in
   - python-devel
   - redhat-rpm-config
-pip_bin_dir: /usr/bin
diff --git a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/default.yml b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/default.yml
index 38c5afc8e..b3e861932 100644
--- a/contrib/ci-workers/vars/default.yml
+++ b/contrib/ci-workers/vars/default.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ grind_deps:
   - lcov
   - valgrind
 
+# Python modules required on the system
+system_modules:
+  - virtualenv
+
 # Python modules required for a Zcash Buildbot worker
 buildbot_modules:
   - pip # Needs to be updated first so Buildbot installs
@@ -44,6 +48,3 @@ buildbot_modules:
 rpc_test_modules:
   - pyblake2
   - pyzmq
-
-# Environment variables
-pip_bin_dir: /usr/local/bin