diff --git a/host_exporters/tasks/main.yml b/host_exporters/tasks/main.yml
index cb28fd2..3b964c2 100644
--- a/host_exporters/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/host_exporters/tasks/main.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@
     install_recommends: false
     state: present
 
+# Left over from installs with recommends; its init script fails at boot without a BMC.
+# Purge also removes the init script a plain removal keeps.
+- name: Purge OpenIPMI on hosts without a BMC
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name: openipmi
+    state: absent
+    purge: true
+  when: not host_exporters_ipmi
+
 - name: Bind the node exporter to one address
   ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
     path: /etc/default/prometheus-node-exporter