diff --git a/ci/docker/runtime_functions.sh b/ci/docker/runtime_functions.sh
index 2475b3094dc5..523ace14b41b 100755
--- a/ci/docker/runtime_functions.sh
+++ b/ci/docker/runtime_functions.sh
@@ -1285,9 +1285,10 @@ deploy_jl_docs() {
     # ...
 }
 
-build_static_python() {
+build_static_python_mkl() {
     set -ex
     pushd .
+    export mxnet_variant=mkl
     ./ci/publish/python/build.sh
     popd
 }
diff --git a/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy b/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
index 7e97ea707014..5d957544bd6b 100644
--- a/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
+++ b/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
@@ -525,9 +525,9 @@ def test_static_python_cpu() {
   return ['Static build CPU 14.04 Python' : {
     node(NODE_LINUX_CPU) {
         ws('workspace/ut-publish-python-cpu') {
-          withEnv(["mxnet_variant=mkl"]) {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
             utils.init_git()
-            utils.docker_run("publish.ubuntu1404_cpu", 'build_static_python', false, '500m','mxnet_variant')
+            utils.docker_run("publish.ubuntu1404_cpu", 'build_static_python_mkl', false)
           }
         }
     }