diff --git a/.zuul.yaml b/.zuul.yaml
index d9118f05d..1a16da803 100644
--- a/.zuul.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     name: puppet-openstack-base
     pre-run: playbooks/prepare-node-common
     vars:
-        use_puppetlabs: False
+      use_puppetlabs: False
 
 - job:
     name: puppet-openstack-integration-base
diff --git a/playbooks/prepare-node-common.yaml b/playbooks/prepare-node-common.yaml
index e97ba9cba..c0ea11c0f 100644
--- a/playbooks/prepare-node-common.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/prepare-node-common.yaml
@@ -59,4 +59,5 @@
       environment: '{{ zuul | zuul_legacy_vars }}'
       become: true
       when:
-        - use_puppetlabs
+        - use_puppetlabs is defined
+        - use_puppetlabs|bool