diff --git a/breeze b/breeze
index 3e8d2c3f8493c..37cb38756a7c4 100755
--- a/breeze
+++ b/breeze
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ function prepare_command_files() {
     export COMPOSE_CI_FILE
     export COMPOSE_PROD_FILE
 
+    get_base_image_version
     # Base python image for the build
     export PYTHON_BASE_IMAGE=python:${PYTHON_BASE_IMAGE_VERSION}-slim-buster
     export AIRFLOW_CI_IMAGE="${DOCKERHUB_USER}/${DOCKERHUB_REPO}:${BRANCH_NAME}-python${PYTHON_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION}-ci"
diff --git a/scripts/ci/libraries/_build_images.sh b/scripts/ci/libraries/_build_images.sh
index ed894a127e1b7..352975b6b07cb 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/libraries/_build_images.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/libraries/_build_images.sh
@@ -311,11 +311,17 @@ function print_build_info() {
     print_info
 }
 
+function get_base_image_version() {
+    # python image version to use
+    PYTHON_BASE_IMAGE_VERSION=${PYTHON_BASE_IMAGE_VERSION:=${PYTHON_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION}}
+}
+
 
 
 # Prepares all variables needed by the CI build. Depending on the configuration used (python version
 # DockerHub user etc. the variables are set so that other functions can use those variables.
 function prepare_ci_build() {
+    get_base_image_version
     # We use pulled docker image cache by default for CI images to  speed up the builds
     export DOCKER_CACHE=${DOCKER_CACHE:="pulled"}
     echo
@@ -591,6 +597,7 @@ Docker building ${AIRFLOW_CI_IMAGE}.
 # Prepares all variables needed by the CI build. Depending on the configuration used (python version
 # DockerHub user etc. the variables are set so that other functions can use those variables.
 function prepare_prod_build() {
+    get_base_image_version
     # We use local docker image cache by default for Production images
     export DOCKER_CACHE=${DOCKER_CACHE:="local"}
     echo
diff --git a/scripts/ci/libraries/_initialization.sh b/scripts/ci/libraries/_initialization.sh
index c41dff995a484..5f2a74251d350 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/libraries/_initialization.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/libraries/_initialization.sh
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ function initialize_common_environment {
     # default python Major/Minor version
     PYTHON_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION=${PYTHON_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION:="3.6"}
 
-    # python image version to use
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-    PYTHON_BASE_IMAGE_VERSION=${PYTHON_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION}
-
     # extra flags passed to docker run for CI image
     # shellcheck disable=SC2034
     EXTRA_DOCKER_FLAGS=()