diff --git a/ci-operator/step-registry/ipi/conf/gcp/zones/ipi-conf-gcp-zones-commands.sh b/ci-operator/step-registry/ipi/conf/gcp/zones/ipi-conf-gcp-zones-commands.sh
index 3dc60a7ef26aa..2249c78c467ac 100755
--- a/ci-operator/step-registry/ipi/conf/gcp/zones/ipi-conf-gcp-zones-commands.sh
+++ b/ci-operator/step-registry/ipi/conf/gcp/zones/ipi-conf-gcp-zones-commands.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES '${CONTROL_PLANE
 echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE '${CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE}'"
 
 function get_zones_from_region() {
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2178
+  local -n ZONES=$1
+
   if [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
     echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Filtering zones by the exclusion pattern '${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}'"
     mapfile -t AVAILABILITY_ZONES < <(gcloud compute zones list --filter="region:${GCP_REGION} AND status:UP" --format='value(name)' | grep -v "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" | shuf)
@@ -26,14 +29,15 @@ function get_zones_from_region() {
   
   echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Take the first ${ZONES_COUNT} zones"
   ZONES=("${AVAILABILITY_ZONES[@]:0:${ZONES_COUNT}}")
-  ZONES_STR="[ $(join_by , "${ZONES[@]}") ]"
-  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: GCP region: ${GCP_REGION} (zones: ${ZONES_STR})"
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: GCP region: ${GCP_REGION} (zones: ${ZONES[*]})"
 }
 
 function join_by { local IFS="$1"; shift; echo "$*"; }
 
 function get_zones_by_machine_type() {
   local machine_type=$1
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2178
+  local -n ZONES=$2
 
   if [[ -z "${machine_type}" ]]; then
     echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Nothing to do for empty machine type"
@@ -76,8 +80,37 @@ function get_zones_by_machine_type() {
   
   echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Take the first ${ZONES_COUNT} zones"
   ZONES=("${AVAILABILITY_ZONES[@]:0:${ZONES_COUNT}}")
-  ZONES_STR="[ $(join_by , "${ZONES[@]}") ]"
-  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: [${machine_type}] GCP region: ${GCP_REGION} (zones: ${ZONES_STR})"
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: [${machine_type}] GCP region: ${GCP_REGION} (zones: ${ZONES[*]})"
+}
+
+# Function to get intersection or fallback
+# Updates the first array (target) with intersection or fallback logic
+function array_intersection_or_fallback() {
+  local -n target_array=$1
+  local -n source_array=$2
+
+  # If target_array is empty, use source_array
+  if [ ${#target_array[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+    target_array=("${source_array[@]}")
+    return
+  fi
+
+  # If source_array is empty, keep target_array as is
+  if [ ${#source_array[@]} -eq 0 ]; then
+    return
+  fi
+
+  # Both arrays have elements, find intersection
+  local result=()
+  for elem1 in "${target_array[@]}"; do
+    for elem2 in "${source_array[@]}"; do 
+      if [ "$elem1" = "$elem2" ]; then
+        result+=("$elem1")
+        break 
+      fi
+    done
+  done
+  target_array=("${result[@]}")
 }
 
 export GCP_SHARED_CREDENTIALS_FILE="${CLUSTER_PROFILE_DIR}/gce.json"
@@ -89,64 +122,101 @@ then
   gcloud config set project "${GOOGLE_PROJECT_ID}"
 fi
 
-ZONES_STR=""
-MACHINE_TYPE=""
-if [[ -n "${COMPUTE_ZONES}" ]]; then
-  ZONES_STR="${COMPUTE_ZONES}"
-elif [[ -n "${COMPUTE_NODE_TYPE}" ]]; then
-  MACHINE_TYPE="${COMPUTE_NODE_TYPE}"
-elif [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
+# the intersection of ZONES_ARRAY1 and ZONES_ARRAY2
+CANDIDATE_ZONES_ARRAY=()
+
+# compute/worker zones string, e.g. '[us-central1-a us-central1-b]'
+ZONES_STR1=""
+# compute/worker zones array, e.g. (us-central1-a us-central1-b)
+ZONES_ARRAY1=()
+
+# control-plane zones string, e.g. '[us-central1-b us-central1-c]'
+ZONES_STR2=""
+# control-plane zones array, e.g. (us-central1-b us-central1-c)
+ZONES_ARRAY2=()
+
+# Get compute/worker machine type
+MACHINE_TYPE1=""
+if [[ -n "${COMPUTE_NODE_TYPE}" ]]; then
+  MACHINE_TYPE1="${COMPUTE_NODE_TYPE}"
+else
   echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Extracting compute node type from install-config"
-  MACHINE_TYPE=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" compute[0].platform.gcp.type)
+  MACHINE_TYPE1=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" compute[0].platform.gcp.type)
   if [[ -z "${MACHINE_TYPE}" ]]; then
-    MACHINE_TYPE=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" platform.gcp.defaultMachinePlatform.type)
+    MACHINE_TYPE1=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" platform.gcp.defaultMachinePlatform.type)
   fi
 fi
-get_zones_by_machine_type "${MACHINE_TYPE}"
-if [[ -z "${ZONES_STR}" ]] && [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
-  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Found no zone for machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE}', possibly a custom machine type. Filtering among all zones instead..."
-  get_zones_from_region
+echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: compute/worker machine type is '${MACHINE_TYPE1}'"
+
+# Get control-plane machine type
+MACHINE_TYPE2=""
+if [[ -n "${CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE}" ]]; then
+  MACHINE_TYPE2="${CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE}"
+else
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Extracting control-plane node type from install-config"
+  MACHINE_TYPE2=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" controlPlane.platform.gcp.type)
+  if [[ -z "${MACHINE_TYPE2}" ]]; then
+    MACHINE_TYPE2=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" platform.gcp.defaultMachinePlatform.type)
+  fi
+fi
+echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: control-plane machine type is '${MACHINE_TYPE2}'"
+
+if [[ -z "${COMPUTE_ZONES}" ]]; then
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: COMPUTE_ZONES unspecified, getting the candidate zones by compute/worker machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE1}'"
+  get_zones_by_machine_type "${MACHINE_TYPE1}" ZONES_ARRAY1
+
+  if [[ ${#ZONES_ARRAY1[@]} -eq 0 ]] && [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
+    echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Found no zone for machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE1}', possibly a custom machine type. Filtering among all zones instead..."
+    get_zones_from_region ZONES_ARRAY1
+  fi
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: As a temporary workaround of https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/OCPBUGS-78431, ensure the zones of compute & controlPlane machines are the same"
+  array_intersection_or_fallback CANDIDATE_ZONES_ARRAY ZONES_ARRAY1
 fi
 
-if [[ -n "${ZONES_STR}" ]]; then
+if [[ -z "${CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES}" ]]; then
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES unspecified, getting the candidate zones by control-plane machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE2}'"
+  get_zones_by_machine_type "${MACHINE_TYPE2}" ZONES_ARRAY2
+
+  if [[ ${#ZONES_ARRAY2[@]} -eq 0 ]] && [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
+    echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Found no zone for machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE2}', possibly a custom machine type. Filtering among all zones instead..."
+    get_zones_from_region ZONES_ARRAY2
+  fi
+  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: As a temporary workaround of https://redhat.atlassian.net/browse/OCPBUGS-78431, ensure the zones of compute & controlPlane machines are the same"
+  array_intersection_or_fallback  CANDIDATE_ZONES_ARRAY ZONES_ARRAY2
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${COMPUTE_ZONES}" ]]; then
+  ZONES_STR1="${COMPUTE_ZONES}"
+else
+  ZONES_STR1="[ $(join_by , "${CANDIDATE_ZONES_ARRAY[@]}") ]"
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${ZONES_STR1}" ]]; then
   cat >> "${PATCH}" << EOF
 compute:
 - name: worker
   platform:
     gcp:
-      zones: ${ZONES_STR}
+      zones: ${ZONES_STR1}
 EOF
   yq-go m -x -i "${CONFIG}" "${PATCH}"
 else
   echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Skipped setting zones for compute"
 fi
 
-ZONES_STR=""
-MACHINE_TYPE=""
 if [[ -n "${CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES}" ]]; then
-  ZONES_STR="${CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES}"
-elif [[ -n "${CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE}" ]]; then
-  MACHINE_TYPE="${CONTROL_PLANE_NODE_TYPE}"
-elif [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
-  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Extracting control-plane node type from install-config"
-  MACHINE_TYPE=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" controlPlane.platform.gcp.type)
-  if [[ -z "${MACHINE_TYPE}" ]]; then
-    MACHINE_TYPE=$(yq-go r "${CONFIG}" platform.gcp.defaultMachinePlatform.type)
-  fi
-fi
-get_zones_by_machine_type "${MACHINE_TYPE}"
-if [[ -z "${ZONES_STR}" ]] && [[ -n "${ZONES_EXCLUSION_PATTERN}" ]]; then
-  echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: Found no zone for machine type '${MACHINE_TYPE}', possibly a custom machine type. Filtering among all zones instead..."
-  get_zones_from_region
+  ZONES_STR2="${CONTROL_PLANE_ZONES}"
+else
+  ZONES_STR2="[ $(join_by , "${CANDIDATE_ZONES_ARRAY[@]}") ]"
 fi
 
-if [[ -n "${ZONES_STR}" ]]; then
+if [[ -n "${ZONES_STR2}" ]]; then
   cat >> "${PATCH}" << EOF
 controlPlane:
   name: master
   platform:
     gcp:
-      zones: ${ZONES_STR}
+      zones: ${ZONES_STR2}
 EOF
   yq-go m -x -i "${CONFIG}" "${PATCH}"
 else
@@ -160,3 +230,6 @@ yq-go r "${CONFIG}" controlPlane
 if [ -f "${PATCH}" ]; then
   rm "${PATCH}"
 fi
+
+echo "$(date -u --rfc-3339=seconds) - INFO: quit for debugging..."
+exit 1
\ No newline at end of file