diff --git a/roles/deploy-env/tasks/common_k8s.yaml b/roles/deploy-env/tasks/common_k8s.yaml
index ad222dfde..530f8ce20 100644
--- a/roles/deploy-env/tasks/common_k8s.yaml
+++ b/roles/deploy-env/tasks/common_k8s.yaml
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@
     - net.ipv4.ip_forward
   ignore_errors: true
 
+# This is necessary when we run dnsmasq.
+# Otherwise, we get the error:
+# failed to create inotify: Too many open files
+- name: Configure number of inotify instances
+  sysctl:
+    name: "fs.inotify.max_user_instances"
+    value: "256"
+    state: present
+  ignore_errors: true
+
 - name: Remove swapfile from /etc/fstab
   mount:
     name: "{{ item }}"