diff --git a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
index ff0b5e501ac29026e256b2ba6ae5c3ac6475be54..38b71c6bd5fd9da09673a54e7df0d0cc5aec2d00 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
@@ -538,9 +538,15 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         cmd = ([conda_bin, conda_cmd]
                + conda_verbosity
                + channels
-               + ["-n", args.envname, "bob.devtools"])
+               + ["-n", args.envname,
+                  "bob.devtools",
+                  "conda=%s" % conda_version,
+                  "conda-build=%s" % conda_build_version,
+                  "conda-verify=%s" % conda_verify_version,
+                  "twine",  # required for checking readme of python (zip) distro
+                  ])
         if conda_cmd == "install":
-            cmd += ["--update-specs"]
+            cmd.insert(2, "--update-specs")
         run_cmdline(cmd)
 
     # print conda information for debugging purposes