diff --git a/playbooks/remove_node.yml b/playbooks/remove_node.yml
index 7cd53a8a5..f6362fd07 100644
--- a/playbooks/remove_node.yml
+++ b/playbooks/remove_node.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 ---
 - name: Validate nodes for removal
   hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: false
+  become: false
   tasks:
     - name: Assert that nodes are specified for removal
       assert: