diff --git a/ceph_defaults/defaults/main.yml b/ceph_defaults/defaults/main.yml
index 29b62dd..56582bb 100644
--- a/ceph_defaults/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ceph_defaults/defaults/main.yml
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ ceph_client_pkgs:
   - chrony
   - ceph-common
 client_group: clients
+keep_chrony_installed: true
diff --git a/cephadm-purge-cluster.yml b/cephadm-purge-cluster.yml
index 725883d..5785c24 100644
--- a/cephadm-purge-cluster.yml
+++ b/cephadm-purge-cluster.yml
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
 
     - name: remove ceph packages
       package:
-        name: "{{ 'ceph-common' if group_names == [client_group] else ceph_pkgs | unique }}"
+        name: "{{ 'ceph-common' if group_names == [client_group] else (keep_chrony_installed | ternary(ceph_pkgs | difference('chrony'), ceph_pkgs)) | unique  }}"
         state: absent
       register: result
       until: result is succeeded