diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index bf95ea9d8..4544ded62 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -745,6 +745,66 @@ configure_network_sensor() {
 	return $err
 }
 
+remove_hyper_bridge() {
+	# Check if br0 exists
+	if ! nmcli -f name -t con show | grep -q '^br0$'; then
+		info "No br0 bridge found, skipping bridge removal"
+		return
+	fi
+
+	info "Removing hypervisor bridge br0"
+
+	# Get the bridge slave interface name
+	local slave_iface
+	slave_iface=$(nmcli -f connection.slave-type,connection.interface-name -t con show --active | grep bridge | grep -v br0 | head -1 | cut -d: -f2)
+
+	if [[ -z "$slave_iface" ]]; then
+		# Try finding it from inactive bridge-slave connections
+		slave_iface=$(nmcli -f connection.type,connection.interface-name -t con show | grep bridge-slave | head -1 | cut -d: -f2)
+	fi
+
+	# Get IP settings from br0 before removing it
+	local ipmethod addresses gateway dns dnssearch
+	ipmethod=$(nmcli -f ipv4.method -t con show br0 | cut -d: -f2)
+	addresses=$(nmcli -f ipv4.addresses -t con show br0 | cut -d: -f2)
+	gateway=$(nmcli -f ipv4.gateway -t con show br0 | cut -d: -f2)
+	dns=$(nmcli -f ipv4.dns -t con show br0 | cut -d: -f2)
+	dnssearch=$(nmcli -f ipv4.dns-search -t con show br0 | cut -d: -f2)
+
+	# Remove bridge-slave connections
+	for con in $(nmcli -f name -t con show | grep '^bridge-slave-'); do
+		logCmd "nmcli con delete $con"
+	done
+
+	# Remove br0
+	logCmd "nmcli con delete br0"
+
+	if [[ -n "$slave_iface" ]]; then
+		# Ensure the original connection profile exists for the slave interface
+		if ! nmcli -f name -t con show | grep -q "^${slave_iface}$"; then
+			info "Recreating connection profile for $slave_iface"
+			logCmd "nmcli con add type ethernet ifname $slave_iface con-name $slave_iface"
+		fi
+
+		# Transfer IP settings back to the original interface
+		if [[ "$ipmethod" == "manual" && -n "$addresses" ]]; then
+			info "Restoring static IP configuration to $slave_iface"
+			logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.addresses $addresses"
+			logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.gateway $gateway"
+			[[ -n "$dns" ]] && logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.dns $dns"
+			[[ -n "$dnssearch" ]] && logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.dns-search $dnssearch"
+			logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.method manual"
+		else
+			logCmd "nmcli con mod $slave_iface ipv4.method auto"
+		fi
+
+		logCmd "nmcli con up $slave_iface"
+		info "Bridge br0 removed, network restored on $slave_iface"
+	else
+		info "Warning: Could not determine original interface from bridge slave. Bridge removed but network may need manual configuration."
+	fi
+}
+
 configure_hyper_bridge() {
 	info "Setting up hypervisor bridge"
 	info "Checking $MNIC ipv4.method is auto or manual"
@@ -1541,6 +1601,9 @@ clear_previous_setup_results() {
 reinstall_init() {
 	info "Putting system in state to run setup again"
 
+	# Remove hypervisor bridge if present so network works without it
+	remove_hyper_bridge
+
 	if [[ $install_type =~ ^(MANAGER|EVAL|MANAGERSEARCH|MANAGERHYPE|STANDALONE|FLEET|IMPORT)$ ]]; then
 		local salt_services=( "salt-master" "salt-minion" )
 	else