diff --git a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
index b48eb26dda..48723a525b 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/create_cluster.go
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func NewCmdCreateCluster(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&sshPublicKey, "ssh-public-key", sshPublicKey, "SSH public key to use (defaults to ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub on AWS)")
 
 	cmd.Flags().Int32Var(&options.MasterCount, "master-count", options.MasterCount, "Set number of masters. Defaults to one master per master-zone")
-	cmd.Flags().Int32Var(&options.NodeCount, "node-count", options.NodeCount, "Set number of nodes. Defaults to one node per zone")
+	cmd.Flags().Int32Var(&options.NodeCount, "node-count", options.NodeCount, "Set total number of nodes. Defaults to one node per zone")
 
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.Image, "image", options.Image, "Set image for all instances.")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&options.NodeImage, "node-image", options.NodeImage, "Set image for nodes. Takes precedence over --image")
diff --git a/docs/cli/kops_create_cluster.md b/docs/cli/kops_create_cluster.md
index b793909b79..13e035096d 100644
--- a/docs/cli/kops_create_cluster.md
+++ b/docs/cli/kops_create_cluster.md
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ kops create cluster [flags]
       --master-zones strings             Zones in which to run masters (must be an odd number)
       --network-cidr string              Set to override the default network CIDR
       --networking string                Networking mode to use.  kubenet, external, weave, flannel-vxlan (or flannel), flannel-udp, calico, canal, kube-router, amazonvpc, cilium, cilium-etcd, cni, lyftvpc. (default "kubenet")
-      --node-count int32                 Set number of nodes. Defaults to one node per zone
+      --node-count int32                 Set total number of nodes. Defaults to one node per zone
       --node-image string                Set image for nodes. Takes precedence over --image
       --node-security-groups strings     Add precreated additional security groups to nodes.
       --node-size string                 Set instance size for nodes
diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
index e6180a29d5..0f4ff30a9d 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/new_cluster.go
@@ -715,8 +715,6 @@ func setupNodes(opt *NewClusterOptions, cluster *api.Cluster, zoneToSubnetMap ma
 		count := countPerIG
 		if i < remainder {
 			count++
-		} else if count == 0 {
-			break
 		}
 
 		g := &api.InstanceGroup{}