diff --git a/nova/files/queens/nova-compute.conf.Debian b/nova/files/queens/nova-compute.conf.Debian
index b658ee8..ba41a41 100644
--- a/nova/files/queens/nova-compute.conf.Debian
+++ b/nova/files/queens/nova-compute.conf.Debian
@@ -6215,7 +6215,6 @@
 #
 # From nova.conf
 #
-cpu_mode = {{ compute.cpu_mode }}
 {%- if compute.libvirt.virt_type is defined %}
 virt_type = {{ compute.libvirt.virt_type }}
 {%-  else %}
@@ -6889,11 +6888,8 @@
 # host-passthrough - <No description provided>
 # custom - <No description provided>
 # none - <No description provided>
-{%- if compute.get('libvirt', {}).cpu_model is defined and compute.cpu_mode == 'custom' %}
-cpu_model = {{ compute.libvirt.cpu_model }}
-{%- else %}
-#cpu_model=<None>
-{%- endif %}
+#cpu_mode = <None>
+cpu_mode = {{ compute.cpu_mode }}
 
 #
 # Set the name of the libvirt CPU model the instance should use.
@@ -6914,6 +6910,9 @@
 # use this.
 #  (string value)
 #cpu_model = <None>
+{%- if compute.get('libvirt', {}).cpu_model is defined and compute.cpu_mode == 'custom' %}
+cpu_model = {{ compute.libvirt.cpu_model }}
+{%- endif %}
 
 #
 # This allows specifying granular CPU feature flags when specifying
diff --git a/nova/files/queens/nova-controller.conf.Debian b/nova/files/queens/nova-controller.conf.Debian
index 764284f..50e03d6 100644
--- a/nova/files/queens/nova-controller.conf.Debian
+++ b/nova/files/queens/nova-controller.conf.Debian
@@ -6787,7 +6787,10 @@
 # host-passthrough - <No description provided>
 # custom - <No description provided>
 # none - <No description provided>
-cpu_model = host-passthrough
+# cpu_model = <None>
+{%- if controller.cpu_mode is defined %}
+cpu_mode = {{ controller.cpu_mode }}
+{%- endif %}
 
 #
 # Set the name of the libvirt CPU model the instance should use.
@@ -6808,6 +6811,10 @@
 # use this.
 #  (string value)
 #cpu_model = <None>
+{%- if controller.get('libvirt', {}).cpu_model is defined and controller.cpu_mode == 'custom' %}
+cpu_model = {{ controller.libvirt.cpu_model }}
+{%- endif %}
+
 
 #
 # This allows specifying granular CPU feature flags when specifying