diff --git a/install_puppet.sh b/install_puppet.sh
index ac5506dd00..4d07e22767 100755
--- a/install_puppet.sh
+++ b/install_puppet.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@
 
 #
 # Test condition to install puppet 3
-if [ "$1" = '--three' ]; then
+PUPPET_VERSION=${PUPPET_VERSION:-2}
+if [ "$PUPPET_VERSION" = '3' ]; then
     THREE=yes
     echo "Running in 3 mode"
 fi
diff --git a/modules/openstack_project/files/nodepool/scripts/prepare_node.sh b/modules/openstack_project/files/nodepool/scripts/prepare_node.sh
index 32d1488b55..13f35f80ac 100755
--- a/modules/openstack_project/files/nodepool/scripts/prepare_node.sh
+++ b/modules/openstack_project/files/nodepool/scripts/prepare_node.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ PYPY=${PYPY:-false}
 ALL_MYSQL_PRIVS=${ALL_MYSQL_PRIVS:-false}
 GIT_BASE=${GIT_BASE:-git://git.openstack.org}
 
+export PUPPET_VERSION=${PUPPET_VERSION:-'2'}
+
 # Save the nameservers configured by our provider.
 cat >/tmp/forwarding.conf <<EOF
 forward-zone: