diff --git a/infrastructure-playbooks/purge-cluster.yml b/infrastructure-playbooks/purge-cluster.yml
index 8bd1471eb..df68836b1 100644
--- a/infrastructure-playbooks/purge-cluster.yml
+++ b/infrastructure-playbooks/purge-cluster.yml
@@ -33,23 +33,14 @@
 
 - name: gather facts on all hosts
 
-  vars:
-    mon_group_name:       mons
-    osd_group_name:       osds
-    mds_group_name:       mdss
-    rgw_group_name:       rgws
-    rbdmirror_group_name: rbd-mirrors
-    nfs_group_name:       nfss
-    client_group_name:       clients
-
   hosts:
-    - "{{ mon_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ osd_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ mds_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ rgw_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ nfs_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ client_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ mon_group_name|default('mons') }}"
+    - "{{ osd_group_name|default('osds') }}"
+    - "{{ mds_group_name|default('mdss') }}"
+    - "{{ rgw_group_name|default('rgws') }}"
+    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name|default('rbdmirrors') }}"
+    - "{{ nfs_group_name|default('nfss') }}"
+    - "{{ client_group_name|default('clients') }}"
 
   become: true
 
@@ -62,7 +53,7 @@
     mds_group_name: mdss
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ mds_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ mds_group_name|default('mdss') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -93,7 +84,7 @@
     rgw_group_name: rgws
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ rgw_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ rgw_group_name|default('rgws') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -124,7 +115,7 @@
     rbdmirror_group_name: rbd-mirrors
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name|default('rbdmirrors') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -150,7 +141,7 @@
     nfs_group_name: nfss
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ nfs_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ nfs_group_name|default('nfss') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -180,7 +171,7 @@
     osd_group_name: osds
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ osd_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ osd_group_name|default('osds') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -358,7 +349,7 @@
     restapi_group_name:   restapis
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ mon_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ mon_group_name|default('mons') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -390,14 +381,6 @@
 - name: final cleanup - check any running ceph, purge ceph packages, purge config and remove data
 
   vars:
-    mon_group_name:       mons
-    osd_group_name:       osds
-    mds_group_name:       mdss
-    rgw_group_name:       rgws
-    rbdmirror_group_name: rbd-mirrors
-    nfs_group_name:       nfss
-    client_group_name:       clients
-
     # When set to true both groups of packages are purged.
     # This can cause problem with qemu-kvm
     purge_all_packages: true
@@ -423,13 +406,13 @@
       - python-rbd
 
   hosts:
-    - "{{ mon_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ osd_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ mds_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ rgw_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ nfs_group_name }}"
-    - "{{ client_group_name }}"
+    - "{{ mon_group_name|default('mons') }}"
+    - "{{ osd_group_name|default('osds') }}"
+    - "{{ mds_group_name|default('mdss') }}"
+    - "{{ rgw_group_name|default('rgws') }}"
+    - "{{ rbdmirror_group_name|default('rbdmirrors') }}"
+    - "{{ nfs_group_name|default('nfss') }}"
+    - "{{ client_group_name|default('clients') }}"
 
   gather_facts: false # Already gathered previously
 
@@ -554,15 +537,6 @@
 
 - name: purge fetch directory
 
-  vars:
-    mon_group_name:       mons
-    osd_group_name:       osds
-    mds_group_name:       mdss
-    rgw_group_name:       rgws
-    rbdmirror_group_name: rbdmirrors
-    nfs_group_name:       nfss
-    restapi_group_name:   restapis
-
   hosts:
     - localhost