diff --git a/pkg/controllers/cisnetworkpolicy/controller.go b/pkg/controllers/cisnetworkpolicy/controller.go
index ae39b289de7..b8e20f9bf61 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/cisnetworkpolicy/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/cisnetworkpolicy/controller.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func register(ctx context.Context,
 		ctx: ctx,
 		k8s: k8s,
 	}
-	logrus.Debugf("CISNetworkPolicyController: Registering controller hooks")
+	logrus.Debugf("CISNetworkPolicyController: Registering controller hooks for NetworkPolicy %s", flannelHostNetworkPolicyName)
 	nodes.OnChange(ctx, "cisnetworkpolicy-node", h.handle)
 	nodes.OnRemove(ctx, "cisnetworkpolicy-node", h.handle)
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/rke2/rke2.go b/pkg/rke2/rke2.go
index ef38e92c9ea..18f87a330a5 100644
--- a/pkg/rke2/rke2.go
+++ b/pkg/rke2/rke2.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	rawServer "github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/server"
 	"github.com/natefinch/lumberjack"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/rancher/norman/types/slice"
 	"github.com/rancher/rke2/pkg/controllers/cisnetworkpolicy"
 	"github.com/rancher/rke2/pkg/images"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -114,7 +115,8 @@ func Server(clx *cli.Context, cfg Config) error {
 
 	var leaderControllers rawServer.CustomControllers
 
-	if cisMode {
+	cnis := clx.StringSlice("cni")
+	if cisMode && (len(cnis) == 0 || slice.ContainsString(cnis, "canal")) {
 		leaderControllers = append(leaderControllers, cisnetworkpolicy.Controller)
 	}