diff --git a/puppet/extraconfig/pre_deploy/per_node.yaml b/puppet/extraconfig/pre_deploy/per_node.yaml
index 64ba9acbb8..815afc02d1 100644
--- a/puppet/extraconfig/pre_deploy/per_node.yaml
+++ b/puppet/extraconfig/pre_deploy/per_node.yaml
@@ -45,18 +45,26 @@ resources:
         # the data of the NodeDataLookup parameter that matches the
         # system UUID
         echo $node_lookup | $(get_python) -c "
+        import ast
         import json
         import sys
         input = sys.stdin.readline() or '{}'
-        cnt = json.loads(input)
+        try:
+            cnt = json.loads(input)
+        except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+            cnt = ast.literal_eval(input)
         print(json.dumps(cnt.get('${node_id}', {})))
         " > /etc/puppet/hieradata/${node_id}.json
         # handle upper case node id LP#1816652
         echo $node_lookup | $(get_python) -c "
+        import ast
         import json
         import sys
         input = sys.stdin.readline() or '{}'
-        cnt = json.loads(input)
+        try:
+            cnt = json.loads(input)
+        except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+            cnt = ast.literal_eval(input)
         print(json.dumps(cnt.get('${node_id_upper}', {})))
         " > /etc/puppet/hieradata/${node_id_upper}.json