Warriors picked up their fourth straight win in the RaboDirect PRO12 last weekend by beating title rivals Munster to preserve a four-point gap over Ospreys in the final play-off spot.
Glasgow also boast a game in hand over the Welsh region but that is the 1872 Cup match with Edinburgh.
And while delighted with his side's effort last weekend, Townsend has demanded more of the same against third-placed Ulster.
"Last week was a precious win for the club but we have another huge game in prospect at Scotstoun tomorrow night," he said.
"Ulster are coming to Glasgow high on confidence and ahead of us in the league - so it's a very important game for both clubs.
"What impressed me most last weekend was our players workrate and how we kept taking the game to Munster. We'll need to repeat that effort again tomorrow.
"Our goal is to build on the win in Limerick and ensure we keep the momentum going over the next few weeks."
Peter Horne will start his first game for Glasgow Warriors since the play-off defeat to Leinster last May, when he lines up against Ulster at Scotstoun Stadium tomorrow night.
Horne will line-up at inside centre, with Mark Bennett coming in at out outside centre and Finn Russell moving to stand-off in place of Duncan Weir.
It's the same back three which started at Thomond Park last Saturday, with Peter Murchie at full-back and Tommy Seymour and Sean Maitland on either wing.
Glasgow Warriors have won their last four RaboDirect PRO12 matches and have only failed to score a try in just one game in any competition this season: at home to Munster in October.
The Warriors record against Irish provinces this season is won five, lost two.
Ulster Rugby have lost just one of their last eight league encounters: 23-28 at Cardiff Blues in round 18, whilst the eight tries they tallied in their defeat of Connacht on Friday was the most they have scored in a league game since May 2006.
Glasgow have won their last two encounters with Ulster and are attempting to record a first season's double over the Ulstermen since 2009/10.
Mark Anscombe has made three changes and three positional changes to the Ulster team which stormed to a 58-12 win over Connacht last weekend at Ravenhill
Andrew Trimble switches to the left wing this weekend, Darren Cave returns in the centre and Tommy Bowe is named on the right.
Up front, Tom Court makes his return to the front row and in the back row Chris Henry moves to blindside replacing the injured Robbie Diack. Sean Doyle comes in at openside while Stephen Ferris sustained an ankle injury in training.
Anscombe said: "At the end of the day, if we're honest to ourselves, and we'd be lying if we said differently, we'd like to have a home semi-final. But to do that we at least have to win two out of our last three.
"Munster have got Glasgow and if that goes Glasgow's way we're (still) second. And then we've got Leinster and if we win that we're first.
"So it is achievable and that's what we've got to do. A lot of people said (after Ulster's European Cup exit), 'What's to go for now?' Well, the season started in September and it was our goal to be successful in this competition.
"As a group, we're not going to be together ever again in four or five weeks time, so let's get back up. We've talked, we believe we're good enough, so let's show we are and get something from it."
At Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm. Live on BBC ALBA/BBC NI
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 34th competition game)
Assistant Referees: David Changleng, Graeme Marshall (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)














