diff --git a/.zuul.yaml b/.zuul.yaml
index 2814e2809..db192395f 100644
--- a/.zuul.yaml
+++ b/.zuul.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
     post-run: playbooks/nodepool-functional-k8s/post.yaml
     required-projects:
       - zuul/nodepool
+    vars:
+      minikube_version: v1.22.0  # NOTE(corvus): 1.23.0 failed with 404 on create_namespaced_role
 
 - job:
     description: |