diff --git a/roles/kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/meta/main.yml b/roles/kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/meta/main.yml
index 468fae8eb..f5325a54e 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/meta/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/meta/main.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 dependencies:
   - role: kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/openstack
     when:
-      - cloud_provider is defined
       - cloud_provider == "external"
       - external_cloud_provider is defined
       - external_cloud_provider == "openstack"
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ dependencies:
       - external-openstack
   - role: kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/vsphere
     when:
-      - cloud_provider is defined
       - cloud_provider == "external"
       - external_cloud_provider is defined
       - external_cloud_provider == "vsphere"
@@ -22,7 +20,6 @@ dependencies:
       - external-vsphere
   - role: kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/hcloud
     when:
-      - cloud_provider is defined
       - cloud_provider == "external"
       - external_cloud_provider is defined
       - external_cloud_provider == "hcloud"
@@ -32,7 +29,6 @@ dependencies:
       - external-hcloud
   - role: kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/huaweicloud
     when:
-      - cloud_provider is defined
       - cloud_provider == "external"
       - external_cloud_provider is defined
       - external_cloud_provider == "huaweicloud"
@@ -42,7 +38,6 @@ dependencies:
       - external-huaweicloud
   - role: kubernetes-apps/external_cloud_controller/oci
     when:
-      - cloud_provider is defined
       - cloud_provider == "external"
       - external_cloud_provider is defined
       - external_cloud_provider == "oci"
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/templates/kubeadm-config.v1beta3.yaml.j2 b/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/templates/kubeadm-config.v1beta3.yaml.j2
index dc5cdcb00..123a68ad5 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/templates/kubeadm-config.v1beta3.yaml.j2
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/templates/kubeadm-config.v1beta3.yaml.j2
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ nodeRegistration:
   taints: []
 {% endif %}
   criSocket: {{ cri_socket }}
-{% if cloud_provider is defined and cloud_provider in ["external"] %}
+{% if cloud_provider == "external" %}
   kubeletExtraArgs:
     cloud-provider: external
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.env.v1beta1.j2 b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.env.v1beta1.j2
index e3b54d7a3..a5280410a 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.env.v1beta1.j2
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/templates/kubelet.env.v1beta1.j2
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ KUBELET_VOLUME_PLUGIN="--volume-plugin-dir={{ kubelet_flexvolumes_plugins_dir }}
 {% if kube_network_plugin is defined and kube_network_plugin == "cloud" %}
 KUBELET_NETWORK_PLUGIN="--hairpin-mode=promiscuous-bridge --network-plugin=kubenet"
 {% endif %}
-{% if cloud_provider is defined and cloud_provider in ["external"] %}
+{% if cloud_provider == "external" %}
 KUBELET_CLOUDPROVIDER="--cloud-provider={{ cloud_provider }}"
 {% else %}
 KUBELET_CLOUDPROVIDER=""
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/0040-verify-settings.yml b/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/0040-verify-settings.yml
index 78d0d9b21..c074526fd 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/0040-verify-settings.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/preinstall/tasks/0040-verify-settings.yml
@@ -166,10 +166,9 @@
 
 - name: Check cloud_provider value
   assert:
-    that: cloud_provider in ['external']
-    msg: "If set the 'cloud_provider' var must be set either to 'external'"
+    that: cloud_provider == 'external'
   when:
-    - cloud_provider is defined
+    - cloud_provider
     - not ignore_assert_errors
   tags:
     - cloud-provider
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
index 3cd59d29b..d9653a66f 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
@@ -271,6 +271,9 @@ kubelet_shutdown_grace_period: 60s
 # to give normal pods time to be gracefully evacuated
 kubelet_shutdown_grace_period_critical_pods: 20s
 
+# Cloud Provider
+# This variable can only be set to "external" or empty string, otherwise the check will fail.
+cloud_provider: ""
 # Whether to deploy the container engine
 deploy_container_engine: "{{ 'k8s_cluster' in group_names or etcd_deployment_type == 'docker' }}"
 
diff --git a/roles/network_plugin/calico/tasks/pre.yml b/roles/network_plugin/calico/tasks/pre.yml
index 969699f6c..ab236155e 100644
--- a/roles/network_plugin/calico/tasks/pre.yml
+++ b/roles/network_plugin/calico/tasks/pre.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   register: calico_kubelet_name
   delegate_to: "{{ groups['kube_control_plane'][0] }}"
   when:
-  - "cloud_provider is defined"
+  - cloud_provider
 
 - name: Calico | Gather os specific variables
   include_vars: "{{ item }}"
diff --git a/tests/testcases/040_check-network-adv.yml b/tests/testcases/040_check-network-adv.yml
index 45cf6db28..504826071 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/040_check-network-adv.yml
+++ b/tests/testcases/040_check-network-adv.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
       args:
         executable: /bin/bash
       when:
-        - (calico_ipip_mode is defined and calico_ipip_mode != 'Never' or cloud_provider is defined)
+        - (calico_ipip_mode is defined and calico_ipip_mode != 'Never')
         - kube_network_plugin | default('calico') == 'calico'
 
 - name: Advanced testcases for network