diff --git a/.zuul.yaml b/.zuul.yaml
index 9693d0d..f79722b 100644
--- a/.zuul.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.yaml
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@
     vars:
       configure_instance_user: metalsmith
       metalsmith_netboot: false
+      metalsmith_precreate_port: false
       metalsmith_partition_image: test-centos-partition
       metalsmith_whole_disk_image: test-centos-wholedisk
 
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@
       devstack_localrc:
         USE_PYTHON3: true
       metalsmith_netboot: true
+      metalsmith_precreate_port: true
       metalsmith_python: python3
 
 - job:
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@
     run: playbooks/integration/run.yaml
     vars:
       metalsmith_netboot: true
+      metalsmith_precreate_port: false
       devstack_localrc:
         IRONIC_DEFAULT_DEPLOY_INTERFACE: direct
 
@@ -154,6 +157,7 @@
     run: playbooks/integration/run.yaml
     vars:
       metalsmith_netboot: true
+      metalsmith_precreate_port: true
       metalsmith_python: python3
       metalsmith_use_http: true
       devstack_localrc:
diff --git a/playbooks/integration/exercise.yaml b/playbooks/integration/exercise.yaml
index b303664..855c19a 100644
--- a/playbooks/integration/exercise.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/integration/exercise.yaml
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 - name: Create a port
   command: openstack port create --network private test-port
-  when: precreate_port
+  when: metalsmith_precreate_port
 
 - name: Set port argument
   set_fact:
     nic:
       port: test-port
-  when: precreate_port
+  when: metalsmith_precreate_port
 
 - name: Set network argument
   set_fact:
     nic:
       network: private
-  when: not precreate_port
+  when: not metalsmith_precreate_port
 
 - name: Deploy a node
   include_role:
@@ -101,6 +101,6 @@
 
 - name: Delete created port
   command: openstack port delete test-port
-  when: precreate_port
+  when: metalsmith_precreate_port
   # FIXME(dtantsur): fails because of ironic mis-behavior
   ignore_errors: true
diff --git a/playbooks/integration/run.yaml b/playbooks/integration/run.yaml
index 5fa696a..ae25da8 100644
--- a/playbooks/integration/run.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/integration/run.yaml
@@ -13,13 +13,11 @@
       vars:
         image: "{{ metalsmith_whole_disk_image }}"
         image_checksum: "{{ metalsmith_whole_disk_checksum | default('') }}"
-        precreate_port: false
 
     - name: Test a partition image
       include: exercise.yaml
       vars:
         image: "{{ metalsmith_partition_image }}"
         image_checksum: "{{ metalsmith_partition_checksum | default('') }}"
-        precreate_port: false
       # FIXME(dtantsur): cover partition images
       when: not (metalsmith_use_http | default(false))