diff --git a/terraform/gcp/cluster.tf b/terraform/gcp/cluster.tf
index e270d09007..eab4d22ac4 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/cluster.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/cluster.tf
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "notebook" {
   project = google_container_cluster.cluster.project
   version = var.k8s_versions.notebook_nodes_version
 
-  node_locations = each.value.zones == null ? google_container_cluster.cluster.node_locations : each.value.zones
+  node_locations = length(each.value.zones) == 0 ? [var.zone] : each.value.zones
 
 
   initial_node_count = each.value.min
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ resource "google_container_node_pool" "dask_worker" {
   project = google_container_cluster.cluster.project
   version = var.k8s_versions.dask_nodes_version
 
-  node_locations = each.value.zones == null ? google_container_cluster.cluster.node_locations : each.value.zones
+  node_locations = length(each.value.zones) == 0 ? [var.zone] : each.value.zones
   # Default to same config as notebook nodepools config
   for_each = var.dask_nodes
 
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/projects/pilot-hubs.tfvars b/terraform/gcp/projects/pilot-hubs.tfvars
index 9526532fd4..b43cf9d96c 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/projects/pilot-hubs.tfvars
+++ b/terraform/gcp/projects/pilot-hubs.tfvars
@@ -34,7 +34,25 @@ notebook_nodes = {
     }],
     resource_labels : {
       "community" : "climatematch"
-    }
+    },
+  },
+  # Nodepool for neurohackademy. Tracking issue: https://github.com/2i2c-org/infrastructure/issues/2681
+  "neurohackademy" : {
+    # We expect around 120 users
+    min : 0,
+    max : 100,
+    machine_type : "n1-highmem-16",
+    labels : {
+      "2i2c.org/community" : "neurohackademy"
+    },
+    taints : [{
+      key : "2i2c.org/community",
+      value : "neurohackademy",
+      effect : "NO_SCHEDULE"
+    }],
+    resource_labels : {
+      "community" : "neurohackademy"
+    },
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/terraform/gcp/variables.tf b/terraform/gcp/variables.tf
index c24c52e090..4bdfd27d27 100644
--- a/terraform/gcp/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/gcp/variables.tf
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ variable "notebook_nodes" {
       {}
     ),
     resource_labels : optional(map(string), {}),
-    zones : optional(list(string), null)
+    zones : optional(list(string), [])
   }))
   description = "Notebook node pools to create"
   default     = {}
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ variable "dask_nodes" {
       {}
     ),
     resource_labels : optional(map(string), {}),
-    zones : optional(list(string), null)
+    zones : optional(list(string), [])
   }))
   description = "Dask node pools to create. Defaults to notebook_nodes"
   default     = {}