diff --git a/xos/observers/monitoring_channel/monitoring_channel_observer_config b/xos/observers/monitoring_channel/monitoring_channel_observer_config
index 922a019..5657e1d 100644
--- a/xos/observers/monitoring_channel/monitoring_channel_observer_config
+++ b/xos/observers/monitoring_channel/monitoring_channel_observer_config
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
 pretend=False
 backoff_disabled=True
 save_ansible_output=True
-proxy_ssh=True
+# set proxy_ssh to false on cloudlab
+proxy_ssh=False
 full_setup=True
 
 [feefie]
diff --git a/xos/observers/vcpe/vcpe_observer_config b/xos/observers/vcpe/vcpe_observer_config
index afd1501..d2c9239 100644
--- a/xos/observers/vcpe/vcpe_observer_config
+++ b/xos/observers/vcpe/vcpe_observer_config
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
 pretend=False
 backoff_disabled=True
 save_ansible_output=True
-proxy_ssh=True
+# set proxy_ssh to false on cloudlab
+proxy_ssh=False
 full_setup=True
 
 [feefie]