diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
index dbe156a5ec..ba5d618791 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class AnsibleInventoryLoader(object):
     def __init__(self, source, venv_path=None, verbosity=0):
         self.source = source
         self.verbosity = verbosity
+        # TODO: remove once proot has been removed
+        self.tmp_private_dir = None
         if venv_path:
             self.venv_path = venv_path
         else: