diff --git a/playbooks/openstack.yml b/playbooks/openstack.yml
index 871875e302..309f3ebcfa 100644
--- a/playbooks/openstack.yml
+++ b/playbooks/openstack.yml
@@ -126,6 +126,11 @@
       tags:
         - neutron
 
+    - role: ironic
+      when: atmosphere_ironic_enabled | default(false) | bool
+      tags:
+        - ironic
+
     # NOTE(mnaser): This is disabled out of the box until we have a native way
     #               of configuring it with a pre-configured backend out of the
     #               box.
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-opt-in-ironic-openstack-role-8ad2a10d2f06bb02.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-opt-in-ironic-openstack-role-8ad2a10d2f06bb02.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..19aa00440a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-opt-in-ironic-openstack-role-8ad2a10d2f06bb02.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The standard OpenStack deployment playbook can now deploy the Ironic role
+    when ``atmosphere_ironic_enabled`` is set to ``true``. The option defaults
+    to ``false`` so existing deployments remain unchanged.
diff --git a/roles/ironic/README.md b/roles/ironic/README.md
index 03dfba09bb..c061228f1a 100644
--- a/roles/ironic/README.md
+++ b/roles/ironic/README.md
@@ -1 +1,14 @@
 # `ironic`
+
+The Ironic role deploys the OpenStack Bare Metal service. It is available from
+the standard `playbooks/openstack.yml` workflow but remains disabled by
+default.
+
+Enable it in inventory variables:
+
+```yaml
+atmosphere_ironic_enabled: true
+```
+
+The playbook condition uses `default(false)`, so inventories that do not define
+the variable retain the existing deployment behavior.
diff --git a/roles/openstack_helm_endpoints/tasks/main.yml b/roles/openstack_helm_endpoints/tasks/main.yml
index 9170fd0e8a..0264d4c1e6 100644
--- a/roles/openstack_helm_endpoints/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openstack_helm_endpoints/tasks/main.yml
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
     openstack_helm_endpoints: |
       {{ openstack_helm_endpoints | combine(lookup('vars', '_openstack_helm_endpoints_' + service), recursive=True) }}
-  loop: "{{ openstack_helm_endpoints_list }}"
+  loop: "{{ openstack_helm_endpoints_list | default([], true) }}"
   loop_control:
     loop_var: service
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_ironic_playbook.py b/tests/unit/test_ironic_playbook.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d6d0a76e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_ironic_playbook.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2026 VEXXHOST, Inc.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import yaml
+
+
+def test_ironic_role_is_opt_in_and_follows_neutron():
+    repository_root = Path(__file__).parents[2]
+    plays = yaml.safe_load(
+        (repository_root / "playbooks" / "openstack.yml").read_text()
+    )
+
+    openstack_play = next(
+        play
+        for play in plays
+        if play.get("hosts") == "controllers[0]"
+        and any(role.get("role") == "neutron" for role in play.get("roles", []))
+    )
+    roles = openstack_play["roles"]
+    role_names = [role["role"] for role in roles]
+    ironic = roles[role_names.index("ironic")]
+
+    assert role_names.index("ironic") > role_names.index("neutron")
+    assert ironic["when"] == ("atmosphere_ironic_enabled | default(false) | bool")
+    assert ironic["tags"] == ["ironic"]
+
+
+def test_disabled_ironic_role_cannot_expand_an_empty_endpoint_loop():
+    repository_root = Path(__file__).parents[2]
+    tasks = yaml.safe_load(
+        (
+            repository_root
+            / "roles"
+            / "openstack_helm_endpoints"
+            / "tasks"
+            / "main.yml"
+        ).read_text()
+    )
+    task = next(
+        task
+        for task in tasks
+        if task.get("name") == "Generate OpenStack-Helm endpoints"
+    )
+
+    assert task["loop"] == ("{{ openstack_helm_endpoints_list | default([], true) }}")