diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 96fbe3b1..dd4c3eba 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -27,23 +27,13 @@ glance_developer_constraints:
 
 # Name of the virtual env to deploy into
 glance_venv_tag: untagged
-glance_venv_bin: "/openstack/venvs/glance-{{ glance_venv_tag }}/bin"
-
-# Set this to enable or disable installing in a venv
-glance_venv_enabled: true
-
-# The bin path defaults to the venv path however if installation in a
-#  venv is disabled the bin path will be dynamically set based on the
-#  system path used when the installing.
-glance_bin: "{{ glance_venv_bin }}"
+glance_bin: "/openstack/venvs/glance-{{ glance_venv_tag }}/bin"
 
 # Set the etc dir path where glance is installed.
 #  This is used for role access to the db migrations.
 #  Example:
 #  glance_etc_dir: "/usr/local/etc/glance"
-glance_venv_etc_dir: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}/etc/glance"
-glance_non_venv_etc_dir: "/usr/local/etc/glance"
-glance_etc_dir: "{{ (glance_venv_enabled | bool) | ternary(glance_venv_etc_dir, glance_non_venv_etc_dir) }}"
+glance_etc_dir: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}/etc/glance"
 
 glance_venv_download_url: http://127.0.0.1/venvs/untagged/ubuntu/glance.tgz
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/os-glance-only-install-venv-0271d3238c0d561c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/os-glance-only-install-venv-0271d3238c0d561c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..afa6dbf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/os-glance-only-install-venv-0271d3238c0d561c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - Installation of glance and its dependent pip packages will now only
+    occur within a Python virtual environment. The ``glance_venv_bin``,
+    ``glance_venv_enabled``, ``glance_venv_etc_dir``, and
+    ``glance_non_venv_etc_dir`` variables have been removed.
diff --git a/tasks/glance_install.yml b/tasks/glance_install.yml
index 46636229..0a226953 100644
--- a/tasks/glance_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/glance_install.yml
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@
     get_md5: False
   when:
     - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
   register: local_venv_stat
   tags:
     - glance-install
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@
     return_content: True
   when:
     - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
   register: remote_venv_checksum
   tags:
     - glance-install
@@ -117,7 +115,6 @@
   register: get_venv
   when:
     - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
     - (local_venv_stat.stat.exists == False or
         {{ local_venv_stat.stat.checksum is defined and local_venv_stat.stat.checksum != remote_venv_checksum.content | trim }})
   tags:
@@ -127,17 +124,15 @@
 - name: Set glance get_venv fact
   set_fact:
     glance_get_venv: "{{ get_venv }}"
-  when: glance_venv_enabled | bool
   tags:
     - glance-install
     - glance-pip-packages
 
 - name: Remove existing venv
   file:
-    path: "{{ glance_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    path: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}"
     state: absent
   when:
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
     - glance_get_venv | changed
   tags:
     - glance-install
@@ -145,12 +140,9 @@
 
 - name: Create glance venv dir
   file:
-    path: "{{ glance_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    path: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}"
     state: directory
-  when:
-    - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
-    - glance_get_venv | changed
+  register: glance_venv_dir
   tags:
     - glance-install
     - glance-pip-packages
@@ -158,34 +150,22 @@
 - name: Unarchive pre-built venv
   unarchive:
     src: "/var/cache/{{ glance_venv_download_url | basename }}"
-    dest: "{{ glance_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    dest: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}"
     copy: "no"
   when:
     - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
-    - glance_get_venv | changed
+    - glance_get_venv | changed or glance_venv_dir | changed
   notify:
     - Restart glance services
   tags:
     - glance-install
     - glance-pip-packages
 
-- name: Update virtualenv path
-  command: >
-    virtualenv-tools --update-path=auto {{ glance_venv_bin | dirname }}
-  when:
-    - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
-    - glance_get_venv | success
-  tags:
-    - glance-install
-    - glance-pip-packages
-
-- name: Install pip packages (venv)
+- name: Install pip packages
   pip:
     name: "{{ item }}"
     state: latest
-    virtualenv: "{{ glance_venv_bin | dirname }}"
+    virtualenv: "{{ glance_bin | dirname }}"
     virtualenv_site_packages: "no"
     extra_args: "{{ pip_install_options_fact }}"
   register: install_packages
@@ -194,7 +174,6 @@
   delay: 2
   with_items: "{{ glance_pip_packages }}"
   when:
-    - glance_venv_enabled | bool
     - glance_get_venv | failed or glance_developer_mode | bool
   notify:
     - Restart glance services
@@ -202,21 +181,10 @@
     - glance-install
     - glance-pip-packages
 
-- name: Install pip packages (no venv)
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
-    extra_args: "{{ pip_install_options_fact }}"
-  register: install_packages
-  until: install_packages|success
-  retries: 5
-  delay: 2
-  with_items: "{{ glance_pip_packages }}"
-  when:
-    - not glance_venv_enabled | bool
-    - not glance_developer_mode | bool
-  notify:
-    - Restart glance services
+- name: Update virtualenv path
+  command: >
+    virtualenv-tools --update-path=auto {{ glance_bin | dirname }}
   tags:
     - glance-install
     - glance-pip-packages
+
diff --git a/tasks/glance_post_install.yml b/tasks/glance_post_install.yml
index 12e10fb9..b6a580cf 100644
--- a/tasks/glance_post_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/glance_post_install.yml
@@ -94,22 +94,6 @@
     - glance-nfs
     - glance-nfs-local-path
 
-- name: Get glance command path
-  command: which glance
-  register: glance_command_path
-  when:
-    - not glance_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - glance-command-bin
-
-- name: Set glance command path
-  set_fact:
-    glance_bin: "{{ glance_command_path.stdout | dirname }}"
-  when:
-    - not glance_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - glance-command-bin
-
 - name: Create glance cache management cron jobs
   cron:
     name: "{{ item.name }}"
diff --git a/tasks/glance_pre_install.yml b/tasks/glance_pre_install.yml
index 2259c952..e93b003b 100644
--- a/tasks/glance_pre_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/glance_pre_install.yml
@@ -52,17 +52,6 @@
   tags:
     - glance-dirs
 
-- name: Create glance venv dir
-  file:
-    path: "{{ item.path }}"
-    state: directory
-  with_items:
-    - { path: "/openstack/venvs" }
-    - { path: "{{ glance_venv_bin }}" }
-  when: glance_venv_enabled | bool
-  tags:
-    - glance-dirs
-
 - name: Test for log directory or link
   shell: |
     if [ -h "/var/log/glance"  ]; then
diff --git a/templates/glance-upstart-init.j2 b/templates/glance-upstart-init.j2
index 042da6a4..d03aa1f1 100644
--- a/templates/glance-upstart-init.j2
+++ b/templates/glance-upstart-init.j2
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ pre-start script
   mkdir -p "/var/lock/{{ program_name }}"
   chown {{ system_user }}:{{ system_group }} "/var/lock/{{ program_name }}"
 
-  {% if glance_venv_enabled | bool -%}
-  . {{ glance_venv_bin }}/activate
-  {%- endif %}
+  . {{ glance_bin }}/activate
 
 end script