diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 89dc1f5..03f5d31 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ kubernetes_packages:
 kubernetes_version: '1.25'
 kubernetes_version_rhel_package: '1.25.1'
 kubernetes_cilium_version: '1.14.5'
+kubernetes_cilium_datapath: 'native'
 
 kubernetes_role: control_plane
 
diff --git a/tasks/control-plane-setup.yml b/tasks/control-plane-setup.yml
index 9fad59d..9ba4ce1 100644
--- a/tasks/control-plane-setup.yml
+++ b/tasks/control-plane-setup.yml
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
         - '.sha256sum'
 
 - name: Configure Cilium networking
-  command: /usr/local/bin/cilium install --version {{ kubernetes_cilium_version }}
+  command: /usr/local/bin/cilium install --version {{ kubernetes_cilium_version }} --datapath-mode {{ kubernetes_cilium_datapath }}
   when:
     - kubernetes_pod_network.cni == 'cilium'
     - not kubernetes_init_stat.stat.exists