John Swinney has admitted it would be "a bit tricky" to impose mandatory face coverings in nightclubs when they reopen on Monday.
Scotland will move beyond Level 0 covid measures on August 9 after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday confirmed the majority of legally imposed restrictions will come to an end.
This means no venues will be forced to remain closed after Monday, including nightclubs.
Speaking the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme earlier today, the Deputy First Minster and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery acknowledged there are still issues surrounding the logistics of clubs reopening.
Asked if it would be practical to expect people to wear face coverings, Mr Swinney said: "I think it's a bit tricky to be honest, so that's why we're having those discussions and we can only finalise those discussions once we've taken the strategic decision to enable nightclubs to reopen and what conditions would generally operate within society.
Follow our live blog for all the latest updates on covid in Scotland
"I accept that in some circumstances within nightclubs, if people are sitting down at a table for example, and having a drink, then you can say that the hospitality rules can apply there so you don't have to be a face covering.
"If somebody is up dancing, which they are inevitably moving around, then the existing rules would say you should wear a face covering, except in a nightclub that is quite a challenge.
"That's why we're having the discussions and we will iron those issues out in consultation with the sector over the course of today."
Mr Swinney also said it was not necessary for people to do "vertical drinking" - standing up by a bar while drinking rather than sitting at a table.
He said: "What we're saying is that people can quite easily go out for a drink, they can go out for a meal, they can sit at tables, but some of the things that have been a hallmark of hospitality venues in the past is vast gatherings of people around a bar standing up may not be a good idea.
"I don't think it's absolutely necessary for people to crowd around a bar to do vertical drinking. That's not necessary."
