diff --git a/roles/openqa/worker/files/ifup-pre-local b/roles/openqa/worker/files/ifup-pre-local
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..639178a84a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/openqa/worker/files/ifup-pre-local
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# if the interface being brought up is tap[n], create
+# the tap device first
+if=$(echo "$1" | sed -e 's,ifcfg-,,')
+tap=$(echo "$if" | sed -e 's,[0-9]\+$,,')
+if [ "$tap" == "tap" ]; then
+    tunctl -u _openqa-worker -p -t "$if"
+fi
diff --git a/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/main.yml b/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/main.yml
index 46da0ce686..8eb01c121a 100644
--- a/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/main.yml
@@ -53,12 +53,11 @@
   command: ifup br0
   when: "brstatus.rc > 0"
 
-- name: Create tap devices
-  command: "tunctl -u _openqa-worker -p -t tap{{ item }} creates=/sys/devices/virtual/net/tap{{ item }}"
-  with_sequence: start=0 end={{ openqa_workers | int }}
+- name: Install ifup-pre-local script to create tap devices
+  copy: src=ifup-pre-local dest=/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifup-pre-local owner=root group=root mode=0755
 
 - name: openvswitch tap devices config
-  template: src=ifcfg-tap dest=/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-tap{{ item }} owner=root group=root mode=0644
+  template: src=ifcfg-tap.j2 dest=/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-tap{{ item }} owner=root group=root mode=0644
   with_sequence: start=0 end={{ openqa_workers | int }}
   notify:
   - restart NetworkManager
diff --git a/roles/openqa/worker/templates/ifcfg-tap b/roles/openqa/worker/templates/ifcfg-tap.j2
similarity index 100%
rename from roles/openqa/worker/templates/ifcfg-tap
rename to roles/openqa/worker/templates/ifcfg-tap.j2