diff --git a/playbooks/roles/course_authoring/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/course_authoring/tasks/main.yml
index bcf0fb3ae..86d2a6a72 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/course_authoring/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/course_authoring/tasks/main.yml
@@ -2,4 +2,6 @@
   include_role:
     name: mfe
   vars:
-    MFE_ENVIRONMENT_EXTRA: '{{ course_authoring_env_extra | default(MFE_DEPLOY_ENVIRONMENT_EXTRA) }}'
\ No newline at end of file
+    MFE_ENVIRONMENT_EXTRA: '{{ course_authoring_env_extra | default(MFE_DEPLOY_ENVIRONMENT_EXTRA) }}'
+    MFE_REPO: 'frontend-app-authoring'
+    MFE_VERSION: 'release-ulmo'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/discovery/meta/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/discovery/meta/main.yml
index a5be846fe..a238b1670 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/discovery/meta/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/discovery/meta/main.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 # }
 dependencies:
   - role: edx_django_service
-    edx_django_service_use_python311: true
+    edx_django_service_use_python312: true
     edx_django_service_repos: '{{ DISCOVERY_REPOS }}'
     edx_django_service_name: '{{ discovery_service_name }}'
     edx_django_service_user: '{{ discovery_user }}'
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/edx_django_service/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/edx_django_service/tasks/main.yml
index da7367186..2320d3395 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/edx_django_service/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/edx_django_service/tasks/main.yml
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@
   apt:
     pkg:
       - python3.12-dev
-      - python3.12-distutils
     update_cache: yes
   register: install_pkgs
   until: install_pkgs is success
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/xqueue/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/xqueue/tasks/main.yml
index 15c666348..e19e7b16b 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/xqueue/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/xqueue/tasks/main.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,24 @@
       update_cache: yes
   when: xqueue_use_python312
 
+# deadsnakes no longer publishes for Ubuntu 20.04, so on focal install python3.12
+# from edx/vendored first (as edxapp does for 3.11, BOMS-239); the next task then
+# finds it already installed.
+- name: install vendored python3.12 on focal
+  apt:
+    deb: "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/edx/vendored/35b1ada7111d308f6b2c9413fc4e64f2a129f708/deadsnakes-py3.12-focal/{{ item }}_3.12.11-16-gade85bc5f4-1+focal1_amd64.deb"
+  with_items:
+    - libpython3.12-stdlib
+    - python3.12
+    - python3.12-venv
+    - libpython3.12
+    - libpython3.12-dev
+    - python3.12-dev
+  when: xqueue_use_python312 and ansible_distribution_release == 'focal'
+  tags:
+    - install
+    - install:system-requirements
+
 - name: install python3.12
   apt:
     name: "{{ item }}"