diff --git a/src/xpk/core/nodepool.py b/src/xpk/core/nodepool.py
index fccd7c886..e5d8eda7a 100644
--- a/src/xpk/core/nodepool.py
+++ b/src/xpk/core/nodepool.py
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
     create_or_update_cluster_configmap,
 )
 from .system_characteristics import AcceleratorType
+from functools import reduce
+from operator import mul
 
 CLOUD_PLATFORM_AUTH_SCOPE_URL = (
     '"https://www.googleapis.com/auth/cloud-platform"'
@@ -279,16 +281,21 @@ def run_gke_node_pool_create_command(
     )
     if system.accelerator_type == AcceleratorType['TPU']:
       command += f' --node-version={gke_node_pool_version}'
+      topology_product = reduce(
+          mul, (int(x) for x in system.topology.split('x')), 1
+      )
       if capacity_type == CapacityType.FLEX_START:
         command += ' --num-nodes=0'
-      else:
+      elif topology_product > 1:
         command += f' --num-nodes={system.vms_per_slice}'
-      command += ' --placement-type=COMPACT  --max-pods-per-node 15'
       command += (
           f' --scopes=storage-full,gke-default,{CLOUD_PLATFORM_AUTH_SCOPE_URL}'
       )
-      command += f' --tpu-topology={system.topology}'
-      command += f' {args.custom_tpu_nodepool_arguments}'
+
+      if topology_product > 1:
+        command += ' --placement-type=COMPACT  --max-pods-per-node 15'
+        command += f' --tpu-topology={system.topology}'
+        command += f' {args.custom_tpu_nodepool_arguments}'
     elif system.accelerator_type == AcceleratorType['GPU']:
       subnet_prefix = f'{args.cluster}-{zone_to_region(args.zone)}'
       if capacity_type == CapacityType.FLEX_START: