diff --git a/roles-test/pre.yaml b/roles-test/pre.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4dca3e7c3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles-test/pre.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Do these updates particularly for CentOS arm which may have stale kernels
+# preventing openafs installation
+- name: Update and reboot nodes before installing openafs
+  hosts: all
+  tasks:
+    - name: Update CentOS nodes
+      when: ansible_distribution == "CentOS"
+      block:
+        - name: DNF Update
+          dnf:
+            name: "*"
+            state: latest
+          become: yes
+
+        - name: Hacky script to force default kernel to new version
+          shell: |
+            set -x
+            # Get the newest kernel version in /boot
+            NEWEST=$(ls /boot | grep vmlinuz | sort -V -r | head -1)
+            OLDEST=$(ls /boot | grep vmlinuz | sort -V | head -1)
+            grubby --set-default=/boot/$NEWEST
+            if [[ "$OLDEST" != "$NEWEST" ]] ; then
+              grubby --remove-kernel=/boot/$OLDEST
+            fi
+          args:
+            executable: /usr/bin/bash
+          become: yes
+
+        - name: Tell grub about the new kernel setup
+          command: grub2-mkconfig --update-bls-cmdline -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
+          become: yes
+
+    - name: Update Debuntu nodes
+      when: ansible_distribution == "Ubuntu" or ansible_distribution == "Debian"
+      block:
+        - name: Apt upgrade
+          apt:
+            name: "*"
+            state: latest
+          become: yes
+
+    - name: Record running kernel version
+      command: uname -a
+
+    - name: Reboot
+      reboot:
+        reboot_timeout: 900
+      become: yes
+
+    - name: Restart zuul console log daemon
+      include_role:
+        name: start-zuul-console
+
+    - name: Record running kernel version
+      command: uname -a
+
+    - name: Pause for a bit to ensure system is up post reboot
+      pause:
+        seconds: 60
diff --git a/zuul.d/system-config-roles.yaml b/zuul.d/system-config-roles.yaml
index 0ab8648668..aa41a2d2c5 100644
--- a/zuul.d/system-config-roles.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/system-config-roles.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     description: Test roles provided by system-config with Zuul.
     abstract: true
     parent: base
+    pre-run: roles-test/pre.yaml
     run: roles-test/base.yaml
     post-run: roles-test/post.yaml
     files: