diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
index fe9739b..ef6a5cd 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
@@ -628,10 +628,12 @@ module Vmpooler
           prepare_template(pool, provider)
           prepared_template = $redis.hget('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool['name'])
         end
-      elsif not prepared_template == pool['template']
-        mutex.synchronize do
-          prepare_template(pool, provider)
-          prepared_template = $redis.hget('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool['name'])
+      elsif prepared_template != pool['template']
+        if configured_template.nil?
+          mutex.synchronize do
+            prepare_template(pool, provider)
+            prepared_template = $redis.hget('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool['name'])
+          end
         end
       end
       return if configured_template.nil?
diff --git a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
index bf44a01..b6d082a 100644
--- a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
@@ -1849,14 +1849,23 @@ EOT
     context 'when the configured pool template does not match the prepared template' do
       before(:each) do
         config[:pools][0]['template'] = new_template
+        expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool).and_return(current_template)
       end
 
       it 'should prepare the template' do
-        expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool).and_return(current_template)
         expect(subject).to receive(:prepare_template).with(config[:pools][0], provider)
 
         subject.evaluate_template(config[:pools][0], provider)
       end
+
+      context 'if configured_template is provided' do
+        it 'should not run prepare_template' do
+          expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__config__template', pool).and_return(current_template)
+          expect(subject).to_not receive(:prepare_template)
+
+          subject.evaluate_template(config[:pools][0], provider)
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'when a new template is requested' do