diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/main.yml b/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/main.yml
index 4e38a95a5..b8a5fcebf 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/main.yml
@@ -5,11 +5,6 @@
     - facts
     - kubelet
 
-- name: Pre-upgrade kubelet
-  import_tasks: pre_upgrade.yml
-  tags:
-    - kubelet
-
 - name: Ensure /var/lib/cni exists
   file:
     path: /var/lib/cni
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/pre_upgrade.yml b/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/pre_upgrade.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index e4bbf6b74..000000000
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/pre_upgrade.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
----
-- name: "Pre-upgrade | check if kubelet container exists"
-  shell: >-
-    set -o pipefail &&
-    {% if container_manager in ['crio', 'docker'] %}
-    {{ docker_bin_dir }}/docker ps -af name=kubelet | grep kubelet
-    {% elif container_manager == 'containerd' %}
-    {{ bin_dir }}/crictl ps --all --name kubelet | grep kubelet
-    {% endif %}
-  args:
-    executable: /bin/bash
-  failed_when: false
-  changed_when: false
-  check_mode: false
-  register: kubelet_container_check
-
-- name: "Pre-upgrade | copy /var/lib/cni from kubelet"
-  command: >-
-    {% if container_manager in ['crio', 'docker'] %}
-    docker cp kubelet:/var/lib/cni /var/lib/cni
-    {% elif container_manager == 'containerd' %}
-    ctr run --rm --mount type=bind,src=/var/lib/cni,dst=/cnilibdir,options=rbind:rw kubelet kubelet-tmp sh -c 'cp /var/lib/cni/* /cnilibdir/'
-    {% endif %}
-  args:
-    creates: "/var/lib/cni"
-  failed_when: false
-  when: kubelet_container_check.rc == 0
-
-- name: "Pre-upgrade | ensure kubelet container service is stopped if using host deployment"
-  service:
-    name: kubelet
-    state: stopped
-  when: kubelet_container_check.rc == 0
-
-- name: "Pre-upgrade | ensure kubelet container is removed if using host deployment"
-  shell: >-
-    {% if container_manager in ['crio', 'docker'] %}
-    {{ docker_bin_dir }}/docker rm -fv kubelet
-    {% elif container_manager == 'containerd' %}
-    {{ bin_dir }}/crictl stop kubelet && {{ bin_dir }}/crictl rm kubelet
-    {% endif %}
-  failed_when: false
-  changed_when: false
-  register: remove_kubelet_container
-  retries: 4
-  until: remove_kubelet_container.rc == 0
-  delay: 5
-  when: kubelet_container_check.rc == 0