diff --git a/ansible/deploy.yaml b/ansible/deploy.yaml
index bf5f1a17e3e4b813c6b4b3e92b1d24fbda0666e9..7813f2dd8e104054000a2fd63de80c227249784c 100644
--- a/ansible/deploy.yaml
+++ b/ansible/deploy.yaml
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@
         app_path: "/home/{{ deploy_user_name }}/iPPIDB/ippisite"
         settings: "ippisite.{{ ansible_hostname }}_settings"
     # FIXME: this should obviously be removed before switching to prod. env.
+    - name: install passlib for htpasswd in ansible
+      pip: name=passlib executable=pip3
     - htpasswd:
         path: /etc/ippidb-80/passwdfile
         name: ippidb