diff --git a/scripts/ci_build.sh b/scripts/ci_build.sh
index 51ed3920..b2fa6b9c 100755
--- a/scripts/ci_build.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci_build.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ if ! command -v avocado > /dev/null; then
     sudo apt-get update -qq
     sudo apt-get install -y virtualenv
     rm -rf /tmp/avocado_venv
-    virtualenv --python python3 /tmp/avocado_venv
+    virtualenv --python python3 /tmp/avocado_venv --system-site-packages
     # shellcheck source=/dev/null
     source /tmp/avocado_venv/bin/activate
     pip install avocado-framework==100.1
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@ if echo "$TAGS" | grep -Fqive "-startvm"; then
     fi
 fi
 
+# install python3-apt
+if [ ! -f /usr/share/doc/python3-apt/copyright ]; then
+    sudo apt-get update -qq
+    sudo apt-get install -y python3-apt
+fi
+
 # Provide working path
 mkdir -p .config/avocado
 cat <<EOF > .config/avocado/avocado.conf