diff --git a/filter_plugins/fedmsg.py b/filter_plugins/fedmsg.py
index 7aadc6acda..de31a2a174 100644
--- a/filter_plugins/fedmsg.py
+++ b/filter_plugins/fedmsg.py
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 import operator
 
 
-def invert_fedmsg_policy(hosts, vars):
+def invert_fedmsg_policy(groups, vars, env):
     """ Given hostvars that map hosts -> topics, invert that
     and return a dict that maps topics -> hosts.
 
     Really, returns a list of tuples -- not a dict.
     """
 
+    if env == 'staging':
+        hosts = groups['staging']
+    else:
+        hosts = [h for h in groups['all'] if h not in groups['staging']]
+
     inverted = {}
     for host in hosts:
         prefix = '.'.join([vars[host]['fedmsg_prefix'],
diff --git a/roles/fedmsg/base/templates/policy.py.j2 b/roles/fedmsg/base/templates/policy.py.j2
index c0a7c48d75..718afbfd54 100644
--- a/roles/fedmsg/base/templates/policy.py.j2
+++ b/roles/fedmsg/base/templates/policy.py.j2
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ config = dict(
         {% if env == 'staging' %}
         # ** policy dynamically generated from inventory vars
         # See ansible/filter_plugins/fedmsg.py for this inversion filter.
-        {% for topic, certs in groups['all'] | invert_fedmsg_policy(hostvars) %}
+        {% for topic, certs in groups | invert_fedmsg_policy(hostvars, env) %}
         "{{topic}}": [
         {% for cert in certs %}
             "{{ cert }}",