diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/all.yml b/inventory/group_vars/all.yml
index dd67969bd..6d644ceef 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ bin_dir: /usr/local/bin
 
 ## There are some changes specific to the cloud providers
 ## for instance we need to encapsulate packets with some network plugins
-## If set the possible values are either 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack', or 'vsphere'
+## If set the possible values are either 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack', 'vsphere', or 'external'
 ## When openstack is used make sure to source in the openstack credentials
 ## like you would do when using nova-client before starting the playbook.
 #cloud_provider:
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/master/templates/manifests/kube-controller-manager.manifest.j2 b/roles/kubernetes/master/templates/manifests/kube-controller-manager.manifest.j2
index e7d5ba7f8..03a406329 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/master/templates/manifests/kube-controller-manager.manifest.j2
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/master/templates/manifests/kube-controller-manager.manifest.j2
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ spec:
 {% if cloud_provider is defined and cloud_provider in ["openstack", "azure", "vsphere"] %}
     - --cloud-provider={{cloud_provider}}
     - --cloud-config={{ kube_config_dir }}/cloud_config
-{% elif cloud_provider is defined and cloud_provider == "aws" %}
+{% elif cloud_provider is defined and cloud_provider in ["aws", "external"] %}
     - --cloud-provider={{cloud_provider}}
 {% endif %}
 {% if kube_network_plugin is defined and kube_network_plugin == 'cloud' %}
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/main.yml b/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/main.yml
index 738255efc..f10f46a15 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/main.yml
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@
 
 - name: check cloud_provider value
   fail:
-    msg: "If set the 'cloud_provider' var must be set either to 'generic', 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack' or 'vsphere'"
+    msg: "If set the 'cloud_provider' var must be set either to 'generic', 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack', 'vsphere', or external"
   when:
     - cloud_provider is defined
-    - cloud_provider not in ['generic', 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack', 'vsphere']
+    - cloud_provider not in ['generic', 'gce', 'aws', 'azure', 'openstack', 'vsphere', 'external']
   tags:
     - cloud-provider
     - facts