diff --git a/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-compute.yml b/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-compute.yml
index 8c8ea0117..44616711e 100644
--- a/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-compute.yml
+++ b/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-compute.yml
@@ -4,14 +4,6 @@
   gather_facts: false
   tags:
     - overcloud-prep-containers
-  pre_tasks:
-    #  TODO(marios): tidy this up use copy module & move to new play
-    - name: rename controller logfiles so we can keep them
-      shell: |
-        for file in containers-prepare-parameter.yaml overcloud_deploy.log overcloud_roles.yaml overcloud-topology-config.yaml overcloud-deploy.sh ; do
-          cp $file "ctrl_$file";
-        done
-      failed_when: false
   roles:
     - role: overcloud-prep-containers
       when: containerized_overcloud|bool
diff --git a/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-control.yml b/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-control.yml
index 0b7d8fc4e..98e3e42bc 100644
--- a/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-control.yml
+++ b/playbooks/multinode-overcloud-mixed-os-deploy-control.yml
@@ -28,3 +28,24 @@
           debug: var=overcloud_deploy_result
           failed_when: overcloud_deploy_result == "failed"
           delegate_to: localhost
+
+- name: Backup controller logfiles before compute deployment overwrites them
+  hosts: undercloud
+  gather_facts: false
+  vars:
+    backup_ctrl_files:
+      - containers-prepare-parameter.yaml
+      - overcloud_deploy.log
+      - overcloud_roles.yaml
+      - overcloud-topology-config.yaml
+      - overcloud-deploy.sh
+  tags:
+    - overcloud-deploy
+  tasks:
+    - name: Rename controller logfiles so we can keep them
+      copy:
+        remote_src: true
+        src: "/home/zuul/{{ item }}"
+        dest: "/home/zuul/ctrl_{{ item }}"
+      loop: "{{ backup_ctrl_files|flatten }}"
+      failed_when: false