diff --git a/readthedocs/doc_builder/python_environments.py b/readthedocs/doc_builder/python_environments.py
index e2e511b3d28..9a2302c41ab 100644
--- a/readthedocs/doc_builder/python_environments.py
+++ b/readthedocs/doc_builder/python_environments.py
@@ -401,8 +401,9 @@ def install_core_requirements(self):
         )
 
         pip_cmd = [
-            'python',
-            self.venv_bin(filename='pip'),
+            self.venv_bin(filename='python'),
+            '-m',
+            'pip',
             'install',
             '-U',
             '--cache-dir',
diff --git a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_doc_building.py b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_doc_building.py
index 6878a911d1e..6f3b8bc950a 100644
--- a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_doc_building.py
+++ b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_doc_building.py
@@ -1330,8 +1330,9 @@ def test_install_core_requirements_sphinx_conda(self, checkout_path):
         ]
 
         args_pip = [
-            'python',
-            mock.ANY,  # pip path
+            mock.ANY,  # python path
+            '-m',
+            'pip',
             'install',
             '-U',
             '--cache-dir',
@@ -1370,8 +1371,9 @@ def test_install_core_requirements_mkdocs_conda(self, checkout_path):
         ]
 
         args_pip = [
-            'python',
-            mock.ANY,  # pip path
+            mock.ANY,  # python path
+            '-m',
+            'pip',
             'install',
             '-U',
             '--cache-dir',