diff --git a/playbooks/install.yaml b/playbooks/install.yaml
index 80b4a0cd9..60fc9d547 100644
--- a/playbooks/install.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/install.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
           config_project_name: "{{ keystone.bootstrap.project_name }}"
           config_region_name: "{{ keystone.bootstrap.region_name }}"
           config_auth_url: "{{ keystone.bootstrap.public_url }}"
-      when: enable_keystone is defined and enable_keystone | bool == true
     - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ http_boot_folder }}/ipa", build_ramdisk: false, dib_os_element: "{{ ipa_dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "ironic-agent {{ ipa_extra_dib_elements | default('') }}", when: create_ipa_image | bool == true }
     - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ deploy_image }}", dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_elements: "vm enable-serial-console {{ dib_init_element|default('simple-init') }} {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib | bool == true and transform_boot_image | bool == false }
   environment:
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/defaults/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/defaults/main.yml
index 04fd4c03d..dddd85cf6 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 ---
-# This file is intentionally empty
+ironic_api_url: "http://localhost:6385"
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/tasks/main.yml
index fc6795586..a00be2fc3 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/tasks/main.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
         config_project_domain_id: "{{ config_project_domain_id|default('default') }}"
         config_user_domain_id: "{{ config_user_domain_id|default('default') }}"
   when:
+    - "{{ enable_keystone | default(false) | bool }}"
     - "{{ clouds is undefined }}"
     - "{{ config_username is defined }}"
     - "{{ config_password is defined }}"
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/templates/clouds.yaml.j2 b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/templates/clouds.yaml.j2
index 8593c46a4..8dd137c11 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/templates/clouds.yaml.j2
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-keystone-client-config/templates/clouds.yaml.j2
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # WARNING: This file is managed by bifrost.
 clouds:
+{% if (enable_keystone | default(false) | bool) %}
 {% for cloud in clouds | default({}) | dictsort %}
   {{ cloud.0 }}:
     region_name: {{ cloud.1.config_region_name }}
@@ -12,3 +13,9 @@ clouds:
       user_domain_id: "{{ cloud.1.config_user_domain_id | default('default') }}"
     identity_api_version: "3"
 {% endfor %}
+{% else %}
+  bifrost:
+    auth_type: None
+    auth: {}
+    url: {{ ironic_api_url }}
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/playbooks/test-bifrost.yaml b/playbooks/test-bifrost.yaml
index c7803a28d..da6ede154 100644
--- a/playbooks/test-bifrost.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/test-bifrost.yaml
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@
           config_project_name: "baremetal"
           config_region_name: "{{ keystone.bootstrap.region_name }}"
           config_auth_url: "{{ keystone.bootstrap.public_url }}"
-      when: "{{ enable_keystone is defined and enable_keystone | bool == true }}"
   environment:
     http_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','http_proxy') }}"
     https_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','https_proxy') }}"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/always-create-clouds-file-d0b72808155a9344.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/always-create-clouds-file-d0b72808155a9344.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab105eb4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/always-create-clouds-file-d0b72808155a9344.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    bifrost now always writes ``clouds.yaml`` configuration file
+    for os-client-config independently of whether keystone is installed
+    or not.
+
+    This allows unified usage of ironic-related openstackclient commands
+    both in presence and absence of installed keystone by using the
+    ``openstack`` command in the following form for both situations::
+
+      openstack --os-cloud bifrost baremetal ...