diff --git a/.azurepipelines/Ubuntu-GCC5.yml b/.azurepipelines/Ubuntu-GCC5.yml
index f83951eeaf..4f9dcf0170 100644
--- a/.azurepipelines/Ubuntu-GCC5.yml
+++ b/.azurepipelines/Ubuntu-GCC5.yml
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ pr:
 - master
 - stable/*
 
+variables:
+  - template: templates/defaults.yml
+
 jobs:
 - template: templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml
   parameters:
     tool_chain_tag: 'GCC5'
     vm_image: 'ubuntu-latest'
     arch_list: "IA32,X64,ARM,AARCH64,RISCV64,LOONGARCH64"
-    extra_install_step:
-    - bash: sudo apt-get install -y lcov
-      displayName: Install Code Coverage Tools
-      condition: and(gt(variables.pkg_count, 0), succeeded())
+    usePythonVersion: ${{ variables.default_python_version }}
diff --git a/.azurepipelines/Windows-VS2019.yml b/.azurepipelines/Windows-VS2019.yml
index c07e5bb434..58bb98d42b 100644
--- a/.azurepipelines/Windows-VS2019.yml
+++ b/.azurepipelines/Windows-VS2019.yml
@@ -12,12 +12,16 @@ pr:
 - master
 - stable/*
 
+variables:
+  - template: templates/defaults.yml
+
 jobs:
 - template: templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml
   parameters:
     tool_chain_tag: 'VS2019'
     vm_image: 'windows-2019'
     arch_list: "IA32,X64"
+    usePythonVersion: ${{ variables.default_python_version }}
     extra_install_step:
     - powershell: choco install opencppcoverage; Write-Host "##vso[task.prependpath]C:\Program Files\OpenCppCoverage"
       displayName: Install Code Coverage Tool
diff --git a/.azurepipelines/templates/defaults.yml b/.azurepipelines/templates/defaults.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4909448bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.azurepipelines/templates/defaults.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+## @file
+# File templates/default.yml
+#
+# template file containing common default values
+#
+# Copyright (c) Red Hat, Inc.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause-Patent
+##
+
+variables:
+  default_python_version: ">=3.10.6"
diff --git a/.azurepipelines/templates/platform-build-run-steps.yml b/.azurepipelines/templates/platform-build-run-steps.yml
index 40a31a509f..8803d80cf5 100644
--- a/.azurepipelines/templates/platform-build-run-steps.yml
+++ b/.azurepipelines/templates/platform-build-run-steps.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ parameters:
 - name: extra_install_step
   type: stepList
   default: []
+- name: usePythonVersion
+  type: string
+  default: ''
 
 steps:
 - checkout: self
@@ -42,8 +45,9 @@ steps:
 
 - task: UsePythonVersion@0
   inputs:
-    versionSpec: ">=3.10.6"
+    versionSpec: ${{ parameters.usePythonVersion }}
     architecture: "x64"
+  condition: ne('${{ parameters.usePythonVersion }}', '')
 
 - script: pip install -r pip-requirements.txt --upgrade
   displayName: 'Install/Upgrade pip modules'
diff --git a/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml b/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml
index fff61a3193..b8573b90da 100644
--- a/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml
+++ b/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-build-job.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ parameters:
   vm_image: ''
   arch_list: ''
   extra_install_step: []
+  usePythonVersion: ''
 
 # Build step
 jobs:
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ jobs:
       build_pkgs: $(Build.Pkgs)
       build_targets: $(Build.Targets)
       build_archs: ${{ parameters.arch_list }}
+      usePythonVersion: ${{ parameters.usePythonVersion }}
       extra_install_step: ${{ parameters.extra_install_step }}
 
 - job: Build_${{ parameters.tool_chain_tag }}_TARGET_CODE_COVERAGE
diff --git a/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-steps.yml b/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-steps.yml
index 080f60aea6..ebc1e86c37 100644
--- a/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-steps.yml
+++ b/.azurepipelines/templates/pr-gate-steps.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ parameters:
   build_pkgs: ''
   build_targets: ''
   build_archs: ''
+  usePythonVersion: ''
   extra_install_step: []
 
 steps:
@@ -21,8 +22,9 @@ steps:
 
 - task: UsePythonVersion@0
   inputs:
-    versionSpec: '>=3.10.6'
-    architecture: 'x64'
+    versionSpec: ${{ parameters.usePythonVersion }}
+    architecture: "x64"
+  condition: ne('${{ parameters.usePythonVersion }}', '')
 
 - script: pip install -r pip-requirements.txt --upgrade
   displayName: 'Install/Upgrade pip modules'