diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
index 539ae74c28..a1abea1c85 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@ runtime_socket: /var/run/docker.sock
 redhat_username: "{{ lookup('env', 'REDHAT_USERNAME', default='') }}"
 redhat_password: "{{ lookup('env', 'REDHAT_PASSWORD', default='') }}"
 
-excluded_pairs:
-  # e.g. - ['ubuntu-1804-lts', 'core_bpf']
-  - ['rhel-8.8-05102023', 'ebpf']
-  - ['rhel-86-05162022', 'core_bpf']
+excluded_vms:
+  # Specify, family, image, or platform
+  # e.g.
+  # - ubuntu-1804-lts
+  # - rhel-arm64
+  # - rhcos-413-86-202303151429-0-gcp-x86-64
+  -
 
 virtual_machines:
   rhel:
@@ -49,7 +52,6 @@ virtual_machines:
     arch: ppc64le
     ssh_key_file: "~/.ssh/acs-ppc64le-rsa.prv"
     images:
-      - rhel-86-05162022
       - rhel-8.8-05102023
 
   rhel-sap:
diff --git a/ansible/roles/create-vm/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/create-vm/tasks/main.yml
index 1a8f6b7e26..599a0ebfeb 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/create-vm/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/create-vm/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,26 +1,17 @@
 ---
 
-#
-# Exclusion precedence:
-#   1. ppc64le is the only platform allowed to run eBPF
-#   2. specific exclusions defined group_vars/all.yml
-#
-# Consider each set_fact to be a rule, and subsequent rules are only
-# processed if the previous rules do not exclude this combination of
-# vm and collection method.
-#
-- name: Check eBPF excluded
+- name: Check platform excluded
   set_fact:
-    excluded: "{{ test_platform != 'rhel-ppc64le' and vm_collection_method == 'ebpf' }}"
+    excluded: "{{ test_platform in excluded_vms }}"
 
 - name: Check family excluded
   set_fact:
-    excluded: "{{ [vm_family, vm_collection_method] in excluded_pairs }}"
+    excluded: "{{ vm_family in excluded_vms }}"
   when: vm_image is not defined and excluded == false
 
 - name: Check image excluded
   set_fact:
-    excluded: "{{ [vm_image, vm_collection_method] in excluded_pairs }}"
+    excluded: "{{ vm_image in excluded_vms }}"
   when: vm_image is defined and excluded == false
 
 - block: