diff --git a/roles/network/tasks/netplan.yml b/roles/network/tasks/netplan.yml
index b05caf8e3..2bd0f67e8 100644
--- a/roles/network/tasks/netplan.yml
+++ b/roles/network/tasks/netplan.yml
@@ -1,21 +1,11 @@
 # netplan.yml
 - name: Figure out netplan file name on Ubuntu 18
-  shell: ls /etc/netplan
+  shell: ls /etc/netplan | grep -v -e 01-iiab-config
   register: netplan
 
-- name: Remove stock netplan template
-  file:
-    state: absent
-    dest: /etc/netplan/{{ netplan }}
-
-# Was needed at one point retesting current needs
-#- name: Disable and mask systemd-networkd-wait-online
-#  systemd:
-#    name: systemd-networkd-wait-online
-#    enabled: no
-#    masked: yes
-#    state: stopped
-
+# Think 50-cloud-init.yaml is created on the fly by cloud-init on every boot
+# need to double check the timestamps of the file on a rebooted machine
+# disable cloud-init if that holds true
 - name: Disable and mask cloud-init
   systemd:
     name: "{{ item }}"
@@ -27,11 +17,24 @@
    - cloud-init
   when: "{{ netplan }}" == "50-cloud-init.yaml"
 
+- name: Remove stock netplan template
+  file:
+    state: absent
+    dest: /etc/netplan/{{ netplan }}
+  when: netplan != ""
+
+# Was needed at one point retesting current needs
+#- name: Disable and mask systemd-networkd-wait-online
+#  systemd:
+#    name: systemd-networkd-wait-online
+#    enabled: no
+#    masked: yes
+#    state: stopped
+
 # ICO will always set gui_static_wan_ip away from the default of 'unset' while
 # gui_static_wan turns dhcp on/off through wan_ip in computed_network and
 # overrides gui_static_wan_ip that is present. Changing wan_ip in local_vars
 # is a oneway street to static.
-
 - name: Static IP computing CIDR
   shell: netmask {{ wan_ip }}/{{ wan_netmask }} | awk -F "/" '{print $2}'
   register: CIDR
@@ -48,19 +51,20 @@
     src: network/netplan.j2
     backup: no
 
-- name: Stopping services
-  include_tasks: down-debian.yml
-
 - name: generate netplan config
   shell: netplan generate --debug
 
-# wants a controlling terminal so it fails
+- name: Stopping services
+  include_tasks: down-debian.yml
+
+# wants a controlling terminal for the ENTER key, so it fails
 - name: test netplan config
   shell: netplan try --debug --timeout=2
   register: test-netplan
   ignore_errors: True
 
-# and does not apply this config until rebooted or ignore the above test
+# and does not apply the generated config until rebooted
+# or ignore the above test - on the fence atm...
 - name: Reload netplan
   shell: netplan apply
   when: not no_net_restart and test-netplan == "Configuration accepted"