diff --git a/roles/ceph-node-exporter/tasks/setup_container.yml b/roles/ceph-node-exporter/tasks/setup_container.yml
index 2dd4dd100..add7d1d7b 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-node-exporter/tasks/setup_container.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-node-exporter/tasks/setup_container.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
     group: root
     mode: 0644
 
+- name: add the cfg80211 module
+  modprobe:
+    name: cfg80211
+    state: present
+
 - name: start the node_exporter service
   systemd:
     name: node_exporter
diff --git a/roles/ceph-node-exporter/templates/node_exporter.service.j2 b/roles/ceph-node-exporter/templates/node_exporter.service.j2
index 1f5dd7150..caad8baa9 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-node-exporter/templates/node_exporter.service.j2
+++ b/roles/ceph-node-exporter/templates/node_exporter.service.j2
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@ ExecStart=/usr/bin/{{ container_binary }} run --name=node-exporter \
   --path.procfs=/host/proc \
   --path.sysfs=/host/sys \
   --no-collector.timex \
-# Make sure the cfg80211 is loaded before running the container, the node
-# exporter needs this module loaded to test for presence of wi-fi devices
-ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/modprobe cfg80211
 ExecStop=-/usr/bin/{{ container_binary }} stop node-exporter
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=10s