diff --git a/src/commcare_cloud/commands/ansible/ansible_playbook.py b/src/commcare_cloud/commands/ansible/ansible_playbook.py
index 22b918fc90..2e5a881049 100644
--- a/src/commcare_cloud/commands/ansible/ansible_playbook.py
+++ b/src/commcare_cloud/commands/ansible/ansible_playbook.py
@@ -65,28 +65,29 @@ def modify_parser(self):
             )
         ))
 
-    def run(self, args, unknown_args, always_skip_check=False):
+    def run(self, args, unknown_args, always_skip_check=False, respect_ansible_skip=True):
         environment = get_environment(args.env_name)
         environment.create_generated_yml()
         ansible_context = AnsibleContext(args)
         check_branch(args)
-        run_ansible_playbook(
+        return run_ansible_playbook(
             environment, args.playbook, ansible_context, args.skip_check, args.quiet,
-            always_skip_check, args.limit, args.use_factory_auth, unknown_args
+            always_skip_check, args.limit, args.use_factory_auth, unknown_args,
+            respect_ansible_skip=respect_ansible_skip,
         )
 
 
 def run_ansible_playbook(
         environment, playbook, ansible_context,
         skip_check=False, quiet=False, always_skip_check=False, limit=None,
-        use_factory_auth=False, unknown_args=None
+        use_factory_auth=False, unknown_args=None, respect_ansible_skip=True,
     ):
 
     def get_limit():
         limit_parts = []
         if limit:
             limit_parts.append(limit)
-        if 'ansible_skip' in environment.sshable_hostnames_by_group:
+        if 'ansible_skip' in environment.sshable_hostnames_by_group and respect_ansible_skip:
             limit_parts.append('!ansible_skip')
 
         if limit_parts:
@@ -311,7 +312,8 @@ def run(self, args, unknown_args):
         args.playbook = 'add-ssh-keys.yml'
         args.quiet = True
         environment = get_environment(args.env_name)
-        rc = AnsiblePlaybook(self.parser).run(args, unknown_args, always_skip_check=True)
+        rc = AnsiblePlaybook(self.parser).run(args, unknown_args, always_skip_check=True,
+                                              respect_ansible_skip=False)
         with open(environment.paths.known_hosts, 'r') as f:
             known_hosts = f.readlines()
         known_hosts.sort()