diff --git a/.github/workflows/generate-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/generate-docs.yml
index af58b61e3f..cee9ed9970 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/generate-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/generate-docs.yml
@@ -66,16 +66,14 @@ jobs:
             make \
             python3 \
             python3-dev \
-            python3-pip\
+            python3-pip \
             sqlite3 \
             swig \
             zlib1g-dev
-          # Many distros adhere to PEP 394's recommendation for `python` =
-          # `python2` so this is a simple workaround until we drop Python 2
-          # support and explicitly use `python3` for all invocations.
-          sudo ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python
-          sudo pip3 install --break-system-packages -r doc/requirements.txt
-          sudo pip3 install --break-system-packages pre-commit
+          python3 -m venv ci-docs-venv
+          source ci-docs-venv/bin/activate
+          pip3 install -r doc/requirements.txt
+          pip3 install pre-commit
 
       - name: ccache
         uses: hendrikmuhs/ccache-action@v1.2
@@ -112,6 +110,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Generate Docs
         run: |
+          source ci-docs-venv/bin/activate
           git config --global user.name zeek-bot
           git config --global user.email info@zeek.org