diff --git a/nodeup/pkg/model/networking/common.go b/nodeup/pkg/model/networking/common.go
index f5c1c67bdb174..aa96ff4a0a064 100644
--- a/nodeup/pkg/model/networking/common.go
+++ b/nodeup/pkg/model/networking/common.go
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ var _ fi.NodeupModelBuilder = &CommonBuilder{}
 
 // Build is responsible for copying the common CNI binaries
 func (b *CommonBuilder) Build(c *fi.NodeupModelBuilderContext) error {
-	if b.NodeupConfig.Networking.AmazonVPC == nil &&
-		b.NodeupConfig.Networking.Calico == nil &&
-		b.NodeupConfig.Networking.Cilium == nil {
+	if b.NodeupConfig.InstallCNIAssets {
 		if err := b.AddCNIBinAssets(c); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/apis/kops/cluster.go b/pkg/apis/kops/cluster.go
index 4e5a273ad94d3..fcf1cacde08ab 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/kops/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/kops/cluster.go
@@ -938,6 +938,12 @@ func (c *Cluster) UsesNoneDNS() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func (c *Cluster) InstallCNIAssets() bool {
+	return c.Spec.Networking.AmazonVPC == nil &&
+		c.Spec.Networking.Calico == nil &&
+		c.Spec.Networking.Cilium == nil
+}
+
 func (c *Cluster) APIInternalName() string {
 	return "api.internal." + c.ObjectMeta.Name
 }
diff --git a/pkg/apis/kops/model/instance_group.go b/pkg/apis/kops/model/instance_group.go
index 91223417b2ca2..fa14fc9852677 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/kops/model/instance_group.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/kops/model/instance_group.go
@@ -71,9 +71,7 @@ func (m *instanceGroupModel) GetCloudProvider() kops.CloudProviderID {
 }
 
 func (m *instanceGroupModel) InstallCNIAssets() bool {
-	return m.cluster.Spec.Networking.AmazonVPC == nil &&
-		m.cluster.Spec.Networking.Calico == nil &&
-		m.cluster.Spec.Networking.Cilium == nil
+	return m.cluster.InstallCNIAssets()
 }
 
 func (m *instanceGroupModel) RawClusterSpec() *kops.ClusterSpec {
diff --git a/pkg/apis/nodeup/config.go b/pkg/apis/nodeup/config.go
index 1386e8028410d..a00430d7235c9 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/nodeup/config.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/nodeup/config.go
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	KubeProxy *kops.KubeProxyConfig
 	// Networking configures networking.
 	Networking kops.NetworkingSpec
+	// InstallCNIAssets specifies that the CNI network plugins need to be installed.
+	InstallCNIAssets bool `json:",omitempty"`
 	// UseCiliumEtcd is true when a Cilium etcd cluster is present.
 	UseCiliumEtcd bool `json:",omitempty"`
 	// UsesKubenet specifies that the CNI is derived from Kubenet.
@@ -297,6 +299,10 @@ func NewConfig(cluster *kops.Cluster, instanceGroup *kops.InstanceGroup) (*Confi
 		config.UpdatePolicy = kops.UpdatePolicyAutomatic
 	}
 
+	if cluster.InstallCNIAssets() {
+		config.InstallCNIAssets = true
+	}
+
 	if cluster.Spec.Networking.AmazonVPC != nil {
 		config.Networking.AmazonVPC = &kops.AmazonVPCNetworkingSpec{}
 		config.DefaultMachineType = aws.String(strings.Split(instanceGroup.Spec.MachineType, ",")[0])