diff --git a/inventory/host_vars/buildhw-a64-01.iad2.fedoraproject.org b/inventory/host_vars/buildhw-a64-01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
index 8a88c96a45..47532ede18 100644
--- a/inventory/host_vars/buildhw-a64-01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
+++ b/inventory/host_vars/buildhw-a64-01.iad2.fedoraproject.org
@@ -3,3 +3,26 @@ gw: 10.3.170.254
 eth1_ip: 10.3.170.121
 eth1_ipv4_gw: 10.3.170.254
 datacenter: iad2
+
+network_connections:
+  - name: eth0
+    state: down
+    type: ethernet
+  - name: eth1
+    state: up
+    type: ethernet
+    autoconnect: yes
+    ip:
+      address: 10.3.170.121/24
+      gateway4: 10.3.170.254
+      dns:
+      - 10.3.163.33
+      - 10.3.163.34
+      dns_search:
+      - iad2.fedoraproject.org
+      - fedoraproject.org
+      dhcp4: no
+      auto6: no
+  - name: eth2
+    state: down
+    type: ethernet
diff --git a/roles/base/meta/main.yml b/roles/base/meta/main.yml
index 8fc4b3b56f..316aceb00e 100644
--- a/roles/base/meta/main.yml
+++ b/roles/base/meta/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 dependencies:
+    - { role: linux-system-roles.network, when: network_connections is defined }
     - { role: basessh }
     - { role: chrony }
     - { role: dnf-automatic }
diff --git a/roles/base/tasks/main.yml b/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
index 24d4f59c23..97f00b0fd5 100644
--- a/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 # XXX fixme # a datacenter 'fact' from setup
 - name: /etc/resolv.conf
   copy: src={{ item }} dest=/etc/resolv.conf
-  when: not nm_controlled_resolv
+  when: not nm_controlled_resolv or not network_connections is defined
   with_first_found:
   - "{{ resolvconf }}"
   - resolv.conf/{{ inventory_hostname }}
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
   ini_file: dest=/etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf section=main option=dns value=none
   notify:
   - restart NetworkManager
-  when: ansible_distribution_major_version|int >=7 and ansible_distribution == 'RedHat' and nmclitest is success and ( not ansible_ifcfg_blocklist) and not nm_controlled_resolv
+  when: ansible_distribution_major_version|int >=7 and ansible_distribution == 'RedHat' and nmclitest is success and ( not ansible_ifcfg_blocklist) and not nm_controlled_resolv and ( not network_connections is defined )
   tags:
    - config
    - resolvconf
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
   ini_file: dest=/etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf section=main option=dns value=none
   notify:
   - restart NetworkManager
-  when: ansible_distribution_major_version|int >=29 and ansible_distribution == 'Fedora' and nmclitest is success and ( not ansible_ifcfg_blocklist) and not nm_controlled_resolv
+  when: ansible_distribution_major_version|int >=29 and ansible_distribution == 'Fedora' and nmclitest is success and ( not ansible_ifcfg_blocklist) and not nm_controlled_resolv and ( not network_connections is defined )
   tags:
    - config
    - resolvconf
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
   - nmclitest is success
   - not ansible_ifcfg_blocklist
   - ansible_ifcfg_allowlist is not defined or item in ansible_ifcfg_allowlist
+  - not network_connections is defined
   tags:
    - config
    - ifcfg