diff --git a/group_vars/default/base.yml b/group_vars/default/base.yml
index d00671e..4b78e1d 100644
--- a/group_vars/default/base.yml
+++ b/group_vars/default/base.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ debian_main_repository: http://ftp.debian.org/debian
 debian_security_repository: http://security.debian.org
 debian_pvc_repository: https://repo.parallelvirtualcluster.org/debian
 
+# Enable Prometheus metric reporting from PVC nodes (installs prometheus-node-exporter)
+enable_prometheus_exporter: yes
+
 # Root user password
 # > Use pwgen to generate
 root_password: ""
diff --git a/roles/base/defaults/main.yml b/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
index 89f999f..296cc63 100644
--- a/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/base/defaults/main.yml
@@ -25,3 +25,5 @@ fail2ban_ignorelist:
   - 10.0.0.0/8
 
 cpu_governor: "ondemand"
+
+enable_prometheus_exporter: yes
diff --git a/roles/base/tasks/main.yml b/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
index 9047e66..6a70147 100644
--- a/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/base/tasks/main.yml
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@
   until: apt_res is success
   tags: base-packages
 
+- name: install Prometheus node exporter if enabled
+  apt:
+    name:
+      - prometheus-node-exporter
+  when: enable_prometheus_exporter is defined and enable_prometheus_exporter
+
 - name: install Intel-specific microcode package
   apt:
     name: