diff --git a/.github/stackhpc-pull-request-path-filters.yml b/.github/stackhpc-pull-request-path-filters.yml
index 14d4921b3e..854f17b881 100644
--- a/.github/stackhpc-pull-request-path-filters.yml
+++ b/.github/stackhpc-pull-request-path-filters.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ aio: &aio
   - 'etc/kayobe/ansible/tools/stackhpc-cloud-tests.yml'
   - 'etc/kayobe/ansible/requirements.yml'
   - 'etc/kayobe/ansible/scripts/aio-init.sh'
+  - 'etc/kayobe/ansible.cfg'
   - 'etc/kayobe/environments/ci-aio/**'
   - 'etc/kayobe/environments/aio/**'
   - 'etc/kayobe/inventory/**'
diff --git a/etc/kayobe/ansible.cfg b/etc/kayobe/ansible.cfg
index 0e03a780c6..6d22815878 100644
--- a/etc/kayobe/ansible.cfg
+++ b/etc/kayobe/ansible.cfg
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ callbacks_enabled = ansible.posix.profile_tasks
 force_valid_group_names = ignore
 # Default value plus custom filter plugins path
 filter_plugins = $ANSIBLE_HOME/plugins/filter:/usr/share/ansible/plugins/filter:$KAYOBE_CONFIG_PATH/ansible/filter_plugins/
-# Run vars plugins once after importing inventory sources rather than
-# on demand. This improves performance as variable files are only
-# loaded once.
-run_vars_plugins = start
 
 [inventory]
 # Fail when any inventory source cannot be parsed.