diff --git a/vars/redhat-7.yml b/vars/redhat-7.yml
index c529f24d..ce959aed 100644
--- a/vars/redhat-7.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat-7.yml
@@ -83,14 +83,12 @@ _lxc_cache_distro_packages:
   - ca-certificates
   - cronie
   - epel-release
-  - git
   - openssh-server
-  - python-devel
   - python2
   - rsync
   - sudo
-  - wget
   - tar
+  - wget
   - which
   - yum-plugin-priorities
   - yum-utils
diff --git a/vars/suse-42.yml b/vars/suse-42.yml
index d1c53b28..85091b13 100644
--- a/vars/suse-42.yml
+++ b/vars/suse-42.yml
@@ -85,17 +85,15 @@ lxc_cache_map:
     {{ lxc_cache_prep_post_commands }}
 
 _lxc_cache_distro_packages:
-  - ca-certificates
   - ca-certificates-mozilla
-  - git-core
+  - cronie
   - openssh
-  - python-devel
   - python
   - python-xml
   - rsync
   - sudo
-  - wget
   - tar
+  - wget
   - which
 
 lxc_cached_network_interfaces:
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
index 0031f567..357f559a 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
@@ -101,14 +101,15 @@ lxc_cache_install_debconf: '-o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Option
 
 _lxc_cache_distro_packages:
   - apt-transport-https
-  - build-essential
   - ca-certificates
-  - git
-  - iptables
+  - cron # xenial doesn't have cronie
   - openssh-server
-  - python-dev
   - python2.7
   - rsync
+  - sudo
+  - tar
+  - wget
+  - debianutils # for 'which' executable
 
 lxc_cached_network_interfaces:
   - src: "lxc-net-bridge.cfg.j2"