diff --git a/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/addons.yml b/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/addons.yml
index 01cb4f1b3..2a179c071 100644
--- a/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/addons.yml
+++ b/inventory/sample/group_vars/k8s_cluster/addons.yml
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ kube_vip_enabled: false
 # kube_vip_cp_detect: false
 # kube_vip_leasename: plndr-cp-lock
 # kube_vip_enable_node_labeling: false
+# kube_vip_lb_fwdmethod: local
 
 # Node Feature Discovery
 node_feature_discovery_enabled: false
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/defaults/main.yml b/roles/kubernetes/node/defaults/main.yml
index 9ad0ab0e4..5af9c0bb4 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/defaults/main.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ kube_vip_bgppeers:
 kube_vip_address:
 kube_vip_enableServicesElection: false
 kube_vip_lb_enable: false
-kube_vip_lb_fwdmethod: local
 kube_vip_leasename: plndr-cp-lock
 kube_vip_svc_leasename: plndr-svcs-lock
 kube_vip_leaseduration: 5
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
index fcdbbdf43..1d925ef4d 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/download.yml
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ multus_image_tag: "v{{ multus_version }}"
 external_openstack_cloud_controller_image_repo: "{{ kube_image_repo }}/provider-os/openstack-cloud-controller-manager"
 external_openstack_cloud_controller_image_tag: "v1.32.0"
 
-kube_vip_image_repo: "{{ github_image_repo }}/kube-vip/kube-vip"
+kube_vip_image_repo: "{{ github_image_repo }}/kube-vip/kube-vip{{ '-iptables' if kube_vip_lb_fwdmethod == 'masquerade' else '' }}"
 kube_vip_image_tag: v0.8.9
 nginx_image_repo: "{{ docker_image_repo }}/library/nginx"
 nginx_image_tag: 1.27.4-alpine
diff --git a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
index 6904d0b31..3b99e425a 100644
--- a/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubespray-defaults/defaults/main/main.yml
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ kube_proxy_nodeport_addresses: >-
 # Set to true to allow pre-checks to fail and continue deployment
 ignore_assert_errors: false
 
+# kube-vip
 kube_vip_enabled: false
+kube_vip_lb_fwdmethod: local
 
 # nginx-proxy configure
 nginx_config_dir: "/etc/nginx"