diff --git a/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/main.yml b/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/main.yml
index 9f0a445..77764ce 100644
--- a/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/main.yml
@@ -64,36 +64,23 @@
     - new_meshvol_from_snap is defined
     - new_meshvol_from_snap | bool
 
+# handle reregistering the correct node if node.id exists
 - name: Set mesh_node_id var from the existing mesh.properties file
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mesh_node_id: "{{ lookup('ansible.builtin.ini', 'node.id type=properties file={{ mesh_properties_file }}', errors='ignore') | default('absent', true) }}"
-
-# workout if this is mesh_clone_firstrun
-- name: Work out if this is first_run of a mesh_clone
-  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mesh_clone_firstrun: false
-
-- name: Set firstrun true if mesh_node_id is absent
-  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mesh_clone_firstrun: true
-  when: mesh_node_id == 'absent'
+    mesh_node_id: "{{ lookup('ansible.builtin.ini', 'node.id type=properties file={{ mesh_properties_file }}') }}"
+  ignore_errors: yes
 
 # if meshvol has no petname or this is the first run of a clone, create a new petname, tag the vol and set mesh_node_name
 - name: New petname related processing
   ansible.builtin.import_tasks:
     file: mesh_newpet.yml
-  when: (mesh_node_name is not defined) or (mesh_node_name | length == 0) or mesh_clone_firstrun
+  when: (mesh_node_name is not defined) or (mesh_node_name | length == 0) or (mesh_node_id is not defined) or (mesh_node_id | length == 0)
 
-# bundle all the node_name releated updates together
+# bundle all the node_name related updates together
 - name: Process mesh_node_name related tasks
   ansible.builtin.import_tasks:
     file: mesh_node_name.yml
 
-# handle reregistering the correct node if node.id exists
-- name: Set mesh_node_id var from the existing mesh.properties file
-  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mesh_node_id: "{{ lookup('ansible.builtin.ini', 'node.id type=properties file={{ mesh_properties_file }}') | split('.') | first }}"
-
 # handle functionality relating to starting and registering the mesh service
 - name: Mesh service related processing
   ansible.builtin.import_tasks:
diff --git a/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/mesh_service.yml b/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/mesh_service.yml
index 0861a3b..d903f6a 100644
--- a/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/mesh_service.yml
+++ b/roles/bitbucket_mesh_config/tasks/mesh_service.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
   when:
     - bitbucket_cluster_available
     - mesh_nodes_report.json | community.general.json_query(query) | length == 0
-    - (mesh_node_id is defined) and (mesh_node_id|length > 0)
+    - (mesh_node_id is defined) and (mesh_node_id | length > 0)
   vars:
     query: "[?name=='{{ mesh_node_name }}']"
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
   when:
     - bitbucket_cluster_available
     - mesh_nodes_report.json | community.general.json_query(query) | length == 0
-    - (mesh_node_id is not defined) or (mesh_node_id|length == 0)
+    - (mesh_node_id is not defined) or (mesh_node_id | length == 0)
   vars:
     query: "[?name=='{{ mesh_node_name }}']"
 
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@
   when:
     - bitbucket_cluster_available
     - mesh_nodes_report.json | community.general.json_query(query) | length == 0
-    - (mesh_node_id is not defined) or (mesh_node_id|length == 0)
+    - (mesh_node_id is not defined) or (mesh_node_id | length == 0)
   vars:
     query: "[?id=='{{ mesh_node_id }}']"