diff --git a/roles/network/defaults/main.yml b/roles/network/defaults/main.yml
index 100b1f6ff..593f14922 100644
--- a/roles/network/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/network/defaults/main.yml
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ iiab_lan_iface: none
 discovered_lan_iface: none
 discovered_wired_iface: none
 discovered_wireless_iface: none
-host_country_code_found: unset
+# use the same case as what `iw reg get` would return with 00 present
+host_country_code_found: UNSET
 
 # Red Hat
 #iiab_wired_lan_iface: "none"