diff --git a/bench/cardano-topology/cardano-topology.hs b/bench/cardano-topology/cardano-topology.hs
index 16ead1ac0a0..96c33a99f09 100644
--- a/bench/cardano-topology/cardano-topology.hs
+++ b/bench/cardano-topology/cardano-topology.hs
@@ -143,12 +143,18 @@ main = do
         ( long "loc"
           <> help "Region (at least one)"
           <> metavar "LOCNAME" ))
-      <*> pure defaultRoleSelector
-
-   defaultRoleSelector = \case
-      0 -> Nothing -- BFT node has no pools
-      1 -> Just 1  -- Regular pools have just 1 pool
-      _ -> Just 2  -- Dense pools have any amount >1 as marker
+      <*> (roleSelector <$>
+           flag False True
+            ( long "with-bft-node-0"
+              <> help "Include a BFT node-0"))
+
+   roleSelector withBft = \case
+     -- TODO:  prepare for deprecation of BFT nodes by switching 1 & 0
+      1 ->      Just 1  -- Normal pools are just that -- a single pool
+      0 -> if withBft
+           then Nothing -- The BFT node has no pools
+           else Just 1  -- Dense pools are denoted by any amount >1
+      _ ->      Just 2
 
    opts = info (cliParser <**> helper)
      ( fullDesc
diff --git a/nix/workbench/topology.sh b/nix/workbench/topology.sh
index 128d3e18c61..e3b6ac3d1d4 100644
--- a/nix/workbench/topology.sh
+++ b/nix/workbench/topology.sh
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ case "${op}" in
         args=( --topology-output "$outdir"/topology-nixops.json
                --dot-output      "$outdir"/topology.dot
                --size             $n_hosts
+               ## TODO:  drop this, once we fully deprecate BFT in all scenarios
+               --with-bft-node-0
 
                $(jq '.composition.locations
                     | map("--loc " + .)