diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-virtualenv-fix.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-virtualenv-fix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..813d9cd85fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-virtualenv-fix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - ansible-test now always uses the ``--python`` option for ``virtualenv`` to select the correct interpreter when creating environments with the ``--venv`` option
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/venv.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/venv.py
index 4bd4abddbde..37eef367b76 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/venv.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/venv.py
@@ -173,10 +173,9 @@ def run_virtualenv(args,  # type: EnvironmentConfig
                    path,  # type: str
                    ):  # type: (...) -> bool
     """Create a virtual environment using the 'virtualenv' module."""
-    cmd = [run_python, '-m', 'virtualenv']
-
-    if run_python != env_python:
-        cmd += ['--python', env_python]
+    # always specify --python to guarantee the desired interpreter is provided
+    # otherwise virtualenv may select a different interpreter than the one running virtualenv
+    cmd = [run_python, '-m', 'virtualenv', '--python', env_python]
 
     if system_site_packages:
         cmd.append('--system-site-packages')