diff --git a/etc/rally.bash_completion b/etc/rally.bash_completion
index f55fb71c4e..5e035db01a 100644
--- a/etc/rally.bash_completion
+++ b/etc/rally.bash_completion
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ _rally()
     OPTS["task_validate"]="--deployment --task --task-args --task-args-file"
     OPTS["verify_compare"]="--uuid-1 --uuid-2 --csv --html --json --output-file --threshold"
     OPTS["verify_detailed"]="--uuid --sort-by"
-    OPTS["verify_discover"]="--deployment --pattern"
+    OPTS["verify_discover"]="--deployment --pattern --system-wide"
     OPTS["verify_genconfig"]="--deployment --tempest-config --override"
     OPTS["verify_import"]="--deployment --set --file --no-use"
     OPTS["verify_install"]="--deployment --source --version --system-wide"
diff --git a/rally/api.py b/rally/api.py
index b8fd5f3020..e79dc84ab7 100644
--- a/rally/api.py
+++ b/rally/api.py
@@ -541,14 +541,16 @@ class Verification(object):
         verifier.uninstall_plugin(repo_name)
 
     @classmethod
-    def discover_tests(cls, deployment, pattern=""):
+    def discover_tests(cls, deployment, pattern="", system_wide=False):
         """Get a list of discovered tests.
 
         :param deployment: UUID or name of a deployment
         :param pattern: Test name pattern which can be used to match
+        :param system_wide: Discover tests for system-wide or venv
+                            Tempest installation
         """
         deployment_uuid = objects.Deployment.get(deployment)["uuid"]
-        verifier = tempest.Tempest(deployment_uuid)
+        verifier = tempest.Tempest(deployment_uuid, system_wide=system_wide)
 
         cls._check_tempest_tree_existence(verifier)
 
diff --git a/rally/cli/commands/verify.py b/rally/cli/commands/verify.py
index e1b6f379ae..e3c1d70da2 100644
--- a/rally/cli/commands/verify.py
+++ b/rally/cli/commands/verify.py
@@ -546,14 +546,20 @@ class VerifyCommands(object):
     @cliutils.args("--pattern", dest="pattern", type=str,
                    required=False, metavar="<pattern>",
                    help="Test name pattern which can be used to match")
+    @cliutils.args("--system-wide", dest="system_wide",
+                   help="Discover tests for system-wide Tempest installation",
+                   required=False, action="store_true")
     @envutils.with_default_deployment(cli_arg_name="deployment")
-    def discover(self, deployment=None, pattern=""):
+    def discover(self, deployment=None, pattern="", system_wide=False):
         """Show a list of discovered tests.
 
         :param deployment: UUID or name of a deployment
         :param pattern: Test name pattern which can be used to match
+        :param system_wide: Discover tests for system-wide or venv
+                            Tempest installation
         """
-        discovered_tests = api.Verification.discover_tests(deployment, pattern)
+        discovered_tests = api.Verification.discover_tests(deployment, pattern,
+                                                           system_wide)
         p_str = (_(" matching pattern '%s'") % pattern) if pattern else ""
         if discovered_tests:
             print(_("Discovered tests%s:\n") % p_str)
@@ -567,7 +573,7 @@ class VerifyCommands(object):
                    help="UUID or name of a deployment.")
     @envutils.with_default_deployment(cli_arg_name="deployment")
     def showconfig(self, deployment=None):
-        """Show configuration file of Tempest.
+        """Show Tempest configuration file.
 
         :param deployment: UUID or name of a deployment
         """
diff --git a/rally/verification/tempest/tempest.py b/rally/verification/tempest/tempest.py
index a5d4066572..4d2774d9e0 100644
--- a/rally/verification/tempest/tempest.py
+++ b/rally/verification/tempest/tempest.py
@@ -416,7 +416,9 @@ class Tempest(object):
 
         :param pattern: Test name pattern which can be used to match
         """
-        cmd = [self.venv_wrapper, "testr", "list-tests", pattern]
+        cmd = ["testr", "list-tests", pattern]
+        if not self._system_wide:
+            cmd.insert(0, self.path("tools/with_venv.sh"))
         raw_results = subprocess.Popen(
             cmd, cwd=self.path(), env=self.env,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
diff --git a/tests/unit/cli/commands/test_verify.py b/tests/unit/cli/commands/test_verify.py
index 421bbe083e..32e8eb4c15 100644
--- a/tests/unit/cli/commands/test_verify.py
+++ b/tests/unit/cli/commands/test_verify.py
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ class VerifyCommandsTestCase(test.TestCase):
         deployment_uuid = "97725f22-1cd2-46a5-8c62-3cdc36ed6d2a"
         self.verify.discover(deployment_uuid, "some_pattern")
         mock_verification_discover_tests.assert_called_once_with(
-            deployment_uuid, "some_pattern")
+            deployment_uuid, "some_pattern", False)
 
     @mock.patch("rally.api.Verification.show_config_info")
     def test_showconfig(self, mock_verification_show_config_info):