diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 38316dd68..3e56a0574 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tox]
 envlist = docs,linters
-minversion = 2.3
+minversion = 2.9
 skipsdist = True
 
 [testenv]
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ allowlist_externals = bash
                       get-remote-files.sh
                       git
 #                      hw-updates.sh
+whitelist_externals = {[testenv:docs]allowlist_externals}
 
 [testenv:api-ref]
 deps = {[testenv:docs]deps}
@@ -41,9 +42,11 @@ commands =
   rm -rf api-ref/build
   sphinx-build -W -b html -d api-ref/build/doctrees api-ref/source api-ref/build/html
 allowlist_externals = rm
+whitelist_externals = {[testenv:api-ref]allowlist_externals}
 
 [testenv:linters]
 allowlist_externals = bash
+whitelist_externals = {[testenv:linters]allowlist_externals}
 commands =
   bash -c "find {toxinidir}                   \
             \( -name .tox -prune \)           \
@@ -63,12 +66,14 @@ commands =
        bash new-topic.sh {env:PWD} {toxinidir}
 allowlist_externals = new-topic.sh
                       bash
+whitelist_externals = {[testenv:newfile]allowlist_externals}
 
 [testenv:picks]
 commands =
        ./pickCompare.sh
 allowlist_externals = pickCompare.sh
                       bash
+whitelist_externals = {[testenv:picks]allowlist_externals}
 
 
 [testenv:linkcheck]