diff --git a/playbooks/roles/cyclecloud/tasks/AlmaLinux.yml b/playbooks/roles/cyclecloud/tasks/AlmaLinux.yml
index 72a91b017..4e0c96a2e 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/cyclecloud/tasks/AlmaLinux.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/cyclecloud/tasks/AlmaLinux.yml
@@ -37,10 +37,17 @@
 
 - name: Install pre-reqs packages
   yum:
-    name: azure-cli, dnsmasq, unzip, java
+    name: azure-cli, dnsmasq, unzip, java, python39, python39-pip
     state: present
     lock_timeout : 180
 
+- name: Upgrade PIP
+  shell: |
+    set -e
+    alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python3.9
+    alternatives --set python3 /usr/bin/python3.9
+    python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
+
 - name: Install CycleCloud
   yum:
     name: "cyclecloud8-{{cyclecloud_version}}"