diff --git a/python/Makefile b/python/Makefile
index 98005d2..c505319 100644
--- a/python/Makefile
+++ b/python/Makefile
@@ -96,9 +96,8 @@
 VENVDIR := venv-openonu
 
 venv: distclean local-protos local-pyvoltha
-	virtualenv ${VENVDIR};\
+	virtualenv --python=python3.6 ${VENVDIR};\
         source ./${VENVDIR}/bin/activate ; set -u ;\
-	rm ${VENVDIR}/local/bin ${VENVDIR}/local/lib ${VENVDIR}/local/include ;\
         pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 ifdef LOCAL_PYVOLTHA