diff --git a/tests/vars/zuul.yml b/tests/vars/zuul.yml
index 626e8c6edb..1c0c99e3db 100644
--- a/tests/vars/zuul.yml
+++ b/tests/vars/zuul.yml
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ nodepool_cbs_centos_proxy: "http://{{ zuul_site_mirror_fqdn }}:8080/cbs.centos"
 nodepool_docker_proxy: "http://{{ zuul_site_mirror_fqdn }}:8080/docker"
 
 # NOTE(hrw): wheel cache goes over 80/443 not on 8080
-nodepool_wheel_mirror: "https://{{ zuul_site_mirror_fqdn }}/wheel/{{ ansible_distribution | lower }}-{{ ansible_distribution_version }}-{{ ansible_architecture | lower }}"
+nodepool_wheel_mirror: "https://{{ zuul_site_mirror_fqdn }}/wheel/{{ ansible_distribution | lower }}-{{ (ansible_os_family == 'Debian') | ternary(ansible_distribution_version, ansible_distribution_major_version) }}-{{ ansible_architecture | lower }}"