diff --git a/kafka/10broker-config.yml b/kafka/10broker-config.yml
index 8f9841ea..b9740b5f 100644
--- a/kafka/10broker-config.yml
+++ b/kafka/10broker-config.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@ data:
       SEDS+=("s/#init#broker.rack=#init#/#init#broker.rack=# kubectl not found in path/")
     } && {
       ZONE=$(kubectl get node "$NODE_NAME" -o=go-template='{{index .metadata.labels "failure-domain.beta.kubernetes.io/zone"}}')
-      if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-        SEDS+=("s/#init#broker.rack=#init#/#init#broker.rack=# zone lookup failed, see -c init-config logs/")
-      elif [ "x$ZONE" == "x<no value>" ]; then
+      if [ "x$ZONE" == "x<no value>" ]; then
         SEDS+=("s/#init#broker.rack=#init#/#init#broker.rack=# zone label not found for node $NODE_NAME/")
       else
         SEDS+=("s/#init#broker.rack=#init#/broker.rack=$ZONE/")
@@ -29,13 +27,9 @@ data:
       fi
 
       OUTSIDE_HOST=$(kubectl get node "$NODE_NAME" -o jsonpath='{.status.addresses[?(@.type=="InternalIP")].address}')
-      if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-        echo "Outside (i.e. cluster-external access) host lookup command failed"
-      else
-        OUTSIDE_PORT=3240${KAFKA_BROKER_ID}
-        SEDS+=("s|#init#advertised.listeners=OUTSIDE://#init#|advertised.listeners=OUTSIDE://${OUTSIDE_HOST}:${OUTSIDE_PORT}|")
-        ANNOTATIONS="$ANNOTATIONS kafka-listener-outside-host=$OUTSIDE_HOST kafka-listener-outside-port=$OUTSIDE_PORT"
-      fi
+      OUTSIDE_PORT=3240${KAFKA_BROKER_ID}
+      SEDS+=("s|#init#advertised.listeners=OUTSIDE://#init#|advertised.listeners=OUTSIDE://${OUTSIDE_HOST}:${OUTSIDE_PORT}|")
+      ANNOTATIONS="$ANNOTATIONS kafka-listener-outside-host=$OUTSIDE_HOST kafka-listener-outside-port=$OUTSIDE_PORT"
 
       if [ ! -z "$LABELS" ]; then
         kubectl -n $POD_NAMESPACE label pod $POD_NAME $LABELS || echo "Failed to label $POD_NAMESPACE.$POD_NAME - RBAC issue?"