diff --git a/ansible/roles/radicle-ci-node/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/radicle-ci-node/tasks/main.yml
index 63e0f379..820722d2 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/radicle-ci-node/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/radicle-ci-node/tasks/main.yml
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@
 - name: "set up Radicle node configuration"
   when: radicle_ci_node_key is defined
   shell: |
-    sudo -i -u ci rad config init --alias "ci-{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+    if [ ! -e /home/ci/.radicle/config.json ]; then
+      sudo -i -u ci rad config init --alias "ci-{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+    fi
 
 - name: "set up Radicle node with new key"
   when: radicle_ci_node_key is undefined