diff --git a/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/files/openstack_deploy/user_variables_k8s.yml b/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/files/openstack_deploy/user_variables_k8s.yml
index e1610f50..2a3ebd3b 100644
--- a/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/files/openstack_deploy/user_variables_k8s.yml
+++ b/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/files/openstack_deploy/user_variables_k8s.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # wire OSA group, host and network addresses into k8s deployment
 kubernetes_control_plane_group: k8s_container
-kubelet_hostname: "{{ ansible_facts['hostname'] }}"
+kubelet_hostname: "{{ ansible_facts['hostname'] | lower }}"
 kubelet_node_ip: "{{ management_address }}"
 kubernetes_hostname: "{{ internal_lb_vip_address }}"
 kubernetes_non_init_namespace: true
diff --git a/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/mcapi_control_plane_k8s.yml b/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/mcapi_control_plane_k8s.yml
index 31bf867b..b6684a83 100644
--- a/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/mcapi_control_plane_k8s.yml
+++ b/mcapi_vexxhost/playbooks/mcapi_control_plane_k8s.yml
@@ -124,12 +124,13 @@
       - role: "vexxhost.kubernetes.cilium"
         environment: "{{ deployment_environment_variables | default({}) }}"
   tasks:
-      - kubernetes.core.k8s:
+      - name: Ensure Nodes are defined and labeled
+        kubernetes.core.k8s:
           definition:
             apiVersion: v1
             kind: Node
             metadata:
-              name: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+              name: "{{ inventory_hostname | lower }}"
               labels: "{{ k8s_node_labels }}"
   tags:
     - k8s