diff --git a/roles/1-prep/tasks/hardware.yml b/roles/1-prep/tasks/hardware.yml
index edf9bb284..c397223e2 100644
--- a/roles/1-prep/tasks/hardware.yml
+++ b/roles/1-prep/tasks/hardware.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,22 @@
 ##  DISCOVER PLATFORMS ######
 # Put conditional actions for hardware platforms here
 
+- name: Look for any wireless devices present
+  shell: "ls -la /sys/class/net/*/phy80211 | awk -F / '{print $5}'"
+  register: has_wifi_device
+  ignore_errors: True
+  changed_when: False
+
+- name: Set has_wireless, if found
+  set_fact:
+    has_wireless: True
+  when: has_wifi_device.stdout is defined and item|trim != ""
+  with_items:
+    - "{{ has_wifi_device.stdout_lines }}"
+
+- include_tasks: wifi.yml
+  when: has_wireless is defined
+
 - include_tasks: raspberry_pi.yml
   when: first_run and rpi_model != "none"
 
diff --git a/roles/1-prep/tasks/raspberry_pi.yml b/roles/1-prep/tasks/raspberry_pi.yml
index aa71ff426..90a312521 100644
--- a/roles/1-prep/tasks/raspberry_pi.yml
+++ b/roles/1-prep/tasks/raspberry_pi.yml
@@ -38,29 +38,18 @@
 - name: '2021-07-27: SEE ALSO 4-5 networking packages LATER installed by https://github.com/iiab/iiab/blob/master/roles/2-common/tasks/network.yml'
   meta: noop
 
-# 2021-07-27 explanation from @jvonau: The 3 BELOW (iw, rfkill, wireless-tools)
-# are provided by RasPiOS.  Ubuntu|Debian on the other hand are hit or miss:
-# desktops might have some/all 3 preinstalled, while servers tend not to have
-# these present at all, but are needed to be installed if you want to take full
-# advantage of WiFi on Ubuntu and friends -- but it's only enforced on RPi
-# hardware where we know in advance of the likelihood of WiFi being present.
-
 # 2022-03-15: This section is effectively now useless on RasPiOS (but apparently
 # serves a purpose on Ubuntu on RPi, where it installs dphys-swapfile and
 # fake-hwclock).  Still: @jvonau's above explanation of other OS's / other HW
 # suggest this code should possibly move in future, to helps others too?
 
-- name: 'Install packages: dphys-swapfile, fake-hwclock, iw, rfkill, wireless-tools'
+- name: 'Install packages: dphys-swapfile, fake-hwclock'
   package:
     name:
       - dphys-swapfile    # 2021-03-15: For Ubuntu on RPi?  RasPiOS installs this regardless -- autogenerate and use a swap file
       - fake-hwclock      # 2021-03-15: For Ubuntu on RPi?  RasPiOS installs this regardless -- save/restore system clock on machines without working RTC hardware
-      - iw                # 2021-07-27: RasPiOS installs this regardless -- configure Linux wireless devices -- hard dependence for ap0 creation, SEE https://github.com/iiab/iiab/blob/master/roles/network/templates/hostapd/iiab-clone-wifi.service.j2
-      - rfkill            # 2021-07-27: RasPiOS installs this regardless -- enable & disable wireless devices
-      - wireless-tools    # 2021-07-27: RasPiOS installs this regardless -- manipulate Linux Wireless Extensions
     state: present
 
-
 - name: Increase swap file size (to CONF_SWAPSIZE={{ pi_swap_file_size }} in /etc/dphys-swapfile) as kalite pip download fails
   lineinfile:
     path: /etc/dphys-swapfile
diff --git a/roles/1-prep/tasks/wifi.yml b/roles/1-prep/tasks/wifi.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f246fbea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/1-prep/tasks/wifi.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# 2021-07-27 explanation from @jvonau: The 3 BELOW (iw, rfkill, wireless-tools)
+# are provided by RaspiOS.  Ubuntu|Debian on the other hand are hit or miss:
+# desktops might have some/all 3 preinstalled, while servers tend not to have
+# these present at all, but are needed to be installed if you want to take full
+# advantage of WiFi on Ubuntu and friends
+
+- name: 'Install packages: iw, rfkill, wireless-tools'
+  package:
+    name:
+      - iw                # 2021-07-27: RaspiOS installs this regardless -- configure Linux wireless devices -- hard dependence for ap0 creation, SEE https://github.com/iiab/iiab/blob/master/roles/network/templates/hostapd/iiab-clone-wifi.service.j2
+      - rfkill            # 2021-07-27: RaspiOS installs this regardless -- enable & disable wireless devices
+      - wireless-tools    # 2021-07-27: RaspiOS installs this regardless -- manipulate Linux Wireless Extensions
+    state: present