diff --git a/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/kolla b/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/kolla
index 6b1ea2122f9c582296046b87e1d917f9183d31a2..643bfd0817d609a24a92415205dc5d6acf4d60dc 100644
--- a/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/kolla
+++ b/ansible/inventory/group_vars/all/kolla
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ overcloud_container_image_regex_map:
   - regex: ^haproxy$
     enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_haproxy | bool }}"
   - regex: ^haproxy-ssh$
-    enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_letsencrypt }}"
+    enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_letsencrypt | bool }}"
   - regex: ^heat
     enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_heat | bool }}"
   - regex: ^horizon
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ overcloud_container_image_regex_map:
   - regex: ^kuryr
     enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_kuryr | bool }}"
   - regex: ^letsencrypt
-    enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_letsencrypt }}"
+    enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_letsencrypt | bool }}"
   - regex: ^magnum
     enabled: "{{ kolla_enable_magnum | bool }}"
   - regex: ^manila
@@ -529,6 +529,7 @@ kolla_enable_ironic: "no"
 kolla_enable_ironic_neutron_agent: "{{ kolla_enable_neutron | bool and kolla_enable_ironic | bool }}"
 kolla_enable_iscsid: "{{ kolla_enable_cinder | bool and kolla_enable_cinder_backend_iscsi | bool }}"
 kolla_enable_kuryr: "no"
+kolla_enable_letsencrypt: "no"
 kolla_enable_magnum: "no"
 kolla_enable_manila: "no"
 kolla_enable_masakari: "no"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-kolla-enable-letsencrypt-8e8746560be575ac.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-kolla-enable-letsencrypt-8e8746560be575ac.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..bf6f7294936e25f7d1871ea6da33e80c8ab96c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-kolla-enable-letsencrypt-8e8746560be575ac.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes bugs with the ``kolla_enable_letsencrypt`` variable which were
+    causing overcloud container image build to fail, or to include
+    ``letsencrypt`` images when disabled.