diff --git a/roles/convert-image/templates/convert_image.sh.j2 b/roles/convert-image/templates/convert_image.sh.j2
index d63ecfce5..7fe0a7d6a 100644
--- a/roles/convert-image/templates/convert_image.sh.j2
+++ b/roles/convert-image/templates/convert_image.sh.j2
@@ -22,12 +22,10 @@ fi
 
 {{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} remove -y {{ convert_image_remove_pkgs|join(" ") }}
 {{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} install -y {{ convert_image_install_pkgs|join(" ") }}
-# NOTE(trown) Install tempest and test packages in a seperate yum transaction
-# so that we do not fail the conversion if this install fails. There is a period
-# after TripleO uploads a new image, but before the buildlogs repo gets synced,
-# where this will fail because we try to install older test packages than the
-# service packages already installed in the image.
-{{ansible_pkg_mgr }} install -y {{ convert_image_tempest_plugins|join(" ") }} || /bin/true
+{% if convert_image_tempest_plugins is defined and convert_image_tempest_plugins|length %}
+{# keep plugins install isolated from previous yum install to ease debugging #}
+{{ ansible_pkg_mgr }} install -y {{ convert_image_tempest_plugins|join(" ") }}
+{% endif %}
 
 {% endif %}