diff --git a/deploy/nv-ipam.yaml b/deploy/nv-ipam.yaml
index 5acea18..ae029d4 100644
--- a/deploy/nv-ipam.yaml
+++ b/deploy/nv-ipam.yaml
@@ -198,14 +198,16 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: nv-ipam-controller
       affinity:
         podAntiAffinity:
-          requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
-            - labelSelector:
-                matchExpressions:
-                  - key: name
-                    operator: In
-                    values:
-                      - nv-ipam-controller
-              topologyKey: "kubernetes.io/hostname"
+          preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
+            - weight: 100
+              podAffinityTerm:
+                labelSelector:
+                  matchExpressions:
+                    - key: name
+                      operator: In
+                      values:
+                        - nv-ipam-controller
+                topologyKey: "kubernetes.io/hostname"
         nodeAffinity:
           preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
             - weight: 1