diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/simple_cell_setup.yml b/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/simple_cell_setup.yml
index 14d0112bde..30c5e70d17 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/simple_cell_setup.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/tasks/simple_cell_setup.yml
@@ -26,5 +26,8 @@
   changed_when:
     - cell_setup | success
     - '"Cell0 is already setup" not in cell_setup.stdout'
+  failed_when:
+    - cell_setup.rc != 0
+    - '"No hosts found to map to cell, exiting." not in cell_setup.stdout'
   run_once: True
   delegate_to: "{{ groups['nova-api'][0] }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2 b/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
index 6b91bd0cc0..478dfddf47 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/nova/templates/nova.conf.j2
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ api_paste_config = /etc/nova/api-paste.ini
 
 [scheduler]
 max_attempts = 10
+discover_hosts_in_cells_interval = 60
 
 # TODO(sdake): rework this hacky workaround after the placement API is
 #              implemented in the Kolla-kubernetes deliverable.