diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
index 1f8fdf3e1c..ce392a4017 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-vars.yaml
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
     - name: Assert nodepool variables are valid.
       assert:
         that:
-          - nodepool_az == 'test-az'
-          - nodepool_region == 'test-region'
-          - nodepool_provider == 'test-provider'
+          - nodepool.az == 'test-az'
+          - nodepool.region == 'test-region'
+          - nodepool.provider == 'test-provider'
 
     - name: Assert zuul-executor variables are valid.
       assert:
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index c498fa4638..758fd2a304 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -903,9 +903,10 @@ class AnsibleJob(object):
             host_vars = dict(
                 ansible_host=ip,
                 ansible_user=self.executor_server.default_username,
-                nodepool_az=node.get('az'),
-                nodepool_provider=node.get('provider'),
-                nodepool_region=node.get('region'))
+                nodepool=dict(
+                    az=node.get('az'),
+                    provider=node.get('provider'),
+                    region=node.get('region')))
 
             host_keys = []
             for key in node.get('host_keys'):