diff --git a/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers.go b/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers.go
index f74e6c14..dbbd3c8b 100644
--- a/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers.go
+++ b/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package linode
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"slices"
@@ -29,6 +28,8 @@ const (
 	ciliumLBClass              = "io.cilium/bgp-control-plane"
 	ipHolderLabelPrefix        = "linode-ccm-ip-holder"
 	ciliumBGPPeeringPolicyName = "linode-ccm-bgp-peering"
+
+	commonControlPlaneLabel = "node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane"
 )
 
 // This mapping is unfortunately necessary since there is no way to get the
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@ var (
 		"ap-southeast": 16, // Sydney (Australia)
 		"ap-northeast": 11, // Tokyo (Japan)
 	}
-	errNoBGPSelector = errors.New("no BGP node selector set to configure IP sharing")
 )
 
 // getExistingSharedIPsInCluster determines the list of addresses to share on nodes by checking the
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) shareIPs(ctx context.Context, addrs []string, node *v1.N
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if node.Labels == nil {
+		node.Labels = make(map[string]string)
+	}
 	node.Labels[annotations.AnnLinodeNodeIPSharingUpdated] = "true"
 	retryErr := retry.RetryOnConflict(retry.DefaultRetry, func() error {
 		_, err := l.kubeClient.CoreV1().Nodes().Update(ctx, node, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
@@ -148,15 +151,17 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) handleIPSharing(ctx context.Context, node *v1.Node) erro
 		klog.Info("skipping IP while providerID is unset")
 		return nil
 	}
-	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
-		return errNoBGPSelector
-	}
 	// If performing Service load-balancing via IP sharing + BGP, check for a special annotation
 	// added by the CCM gets set when load-balancer IPs have been successfully shared on the node
-	kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
-	// Check if node should be participating in IP sharing via the given selector
-	if val, ok := node.Labels[kv[0]]; !ok || len(kv) != 2 || val != kv[1] {
-		// not a selected Node
+	if Options.BGPNodeSelector != "" {
+		kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
+		// Check if node should be participating in IP sharing via the given selector
+		if val, ok := node.Labels[kv[0]]; !ok || len(kv) != 2 || val != kv[1] {
+			// not a selected Node
+			return nil
+		}
+	} else if _, ok := node.Labels[commonControlPlaneLabel]; ok {
+		// If there is no node selector specified, default to sharing across worker nodes only
 		return nil
 	}
 	// check if node has been updated with IPs to share
@@ -200,10 +205,6 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) handleIPSharing(ctx context.Context, node *v1.Node) erro
 // createSharedIP requests an additional IP that can be shared on Nodes to support
 // loadbalancing via Cilium LB IPAM + BGP Control Plane.
 func (l *loadbalancers) createSharedIP(ctx context.Context, nodes []*v1.Node) (string, error) {
-	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
-		return "", errNoBGPSelector
-	}
-
 	ipHolder, err := l.ensureIPHolder(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -237,11 +238,21 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) createSharedIP(ctx context.Context, nodes []*v1.Node) (s
 	}
 
 	// share the IPs with nodes participating in Cilium BGP peering
-	kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
-	for _, node := range nodes {
-		if val, ok := node.Labels[kv[0]]; ok && len(kv) == 2 && val == kv[1] {
-			if err = l.shareIPs(ctx, addrs, node); err != nil {
-				return "", err
+	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
+		for _, node := range nodes {
+			if _, ok := node.Labels[commonControlPlaneLabel]; !ok {
+				if err = l.shareIPs(ctx, addrs, node); err != nil {
+					return "", err
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
+		for _, node := range nodes {
+			if val, ok := node.Labels[kv[0]]; ok && len(kv) == 2 && val == kv[1] {
+				if err = l.shareIPs(ctx, addrs, node); err != nil {
+					return "", err
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -252,9 +263,6 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) createSharedIP(ctx context.Context, nodes []*v1.Node) (s
 // deleteSharedIP cleans up the shared IP for a LoadBalancer Service if it was assigned
 // by Cilium LB IPAM, removing it from the ip-holder
 func (l *loadbalancers) deleteSharedIP(ctx context.Context, service *v1.Service) error {
-	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
-		return errNoBGPSelector
-	}
 	err := l.retrieveKubeClient()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -421,9 +429,6 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) getCiliumLBIPPool(ctx context.Context, service *v1.Servi
 
 // NOTE: Cilium CRDs must be installed for this to work
 func (l *loadbalancers) ensureCiliumBGPPeeringPolicy(ctx context.Context) error {
-	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
-		return errNoBGPSelector
-	}
 	regionID, ok := regionIDMap[l.zone]
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported region for BGP: %s", l.zone)
@@ -443,16 +448,32 @@ func (l *loadbalancers) ensureCiliumBGPPeeringPolicy(ctx context.Context) error
 	}
 
 	// otherwise create it
-	kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
-	if len(kv) != 2 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid node selector %s", Options.BGPNodeSelector)
+	var nodeSelector slimv1.LabelSelector
+	// If no BGPNodeSelector is specified, select all worker nodes.
+	if Options.BGPNodeSelector == "" {
+		nodeSelector = slimv1.LabelSelector{
+			MatchExpressions: []slimv1.LabelSelectorRequirement{
+				{
+					Key:      commonControlPlaneLabel,
+					Operator: slimv1.LabelSelectorOpDoesNotExist,
+				},
+			},
+		}
+	} else {
+		kv := strings.Split(Options.BGPNodeSelector, "=")
+		if len(kv) != 2 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid node selector %s", Options.BGPNodeSelector)
+		}
+
+		nodeSelector = slimv1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: map[string]string{kv[0]: kv[1]}}
 	}
+
 	ciliumBGPPeeringPolicy := &v2alpha1.CiliumBGPPeeringPolicy{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Name: ciliumBGPPeeringPolicyName,
 		},
 		Spec: v2alpha1.CiliumBGPPeeringPolicySpec{
-			NodeSelector: &slimv1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: map[string]string{kv[0]: kv[1]}},
+			NodeSelector: &nodeSelector,
 			VirtualRouters: []v2alpha1.CiliumBGPVirtualRouter{{
 				LocalASN:      65001,
 				ExportPodCIDR: ptr.To(true),
diff --git a/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers_test.go b/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers_test.go
index b2ac263a..9d44b469 100644
--- a/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers_test.go
+++ b/cloud/linode/cilium_loadbalancers_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package linode
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"testing"
@@ -47,6 +46,17 @@ var (
 				ProviderID: fmt.Sprintf("%s%d", providerIDPrefix, 33333),
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "node-control",
+				Labels: map[string]string{
+					commonControlPlaneLabel: "",
+				},
+			},
+			Spec: v1.NodeSpec{
+				ProviderID: fmt.Sprintf("%s%d", providerIDPrefix, 44444),
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	publicIPv4       = net.ParseIP("45.76.101.25")
 	ipHolderInstance = linodego.Instance{
@@ -139,19 +149,45 @@ func addNodes(t *testing.T, kubeClient kubernetes.Interface, nodes []*v1.Node) {
 }
 
 func testNoBGPNodeLabel(t *testing.T, mc *mocks.MockClient) {
+	Options.BGPNodeSelector = ""
 	svc := createTestService()
 
 	kubeClient, _ := k8sClient.NewFakeClientset()
 	ciliumClient := &fakev2alpha1.FakeCiliumV2alpha1{Fake: &kubeClient.CiliumFakeClientset.Fake}
 	addService(t, kubeClient, svc)
+	addNodes(t, kubeClient, nodes)
 	lb := &loadbalancers{mc, zone, kubeClient, ciliumClient, ciliumLBType}
 
+	filter := map[string]string{"label": fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", ipHolderLabelPrefix, zone)}
+	rawFilter, _ := json.Marshal(filter)
+	mc.EXPECT().ListInstances(gomock.Any(), linodego.NewListOptions(1, string(rawFilter))).Times(1).Return([]linodego.Instance{}, nil)
+	dummySharedIP := "45.76.101.26"
+	mc.EXPECT().CreateInstance(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Times(1).Return(&ipHolderInstance, nil)
+	mc.EXPECT().GetInstanceIPAddresses(gomock.Any(), ipHolderInstance.ID).Times(1).Return(&linodego.InstanceIPAddressResponse{
+		IPv4: &linodego.InstanceIPv4Response{
+			Shared: []*linodego.InstanceIP{{Address: dummySharedIP}},
+		},
+	}, nil)
+	mc.EXPECT().AddInstanceIPAddress(gomock.Any(), ipHolderInstance.ID, true).Times(1).Return(&linodego.InstanceIP{Address: dummySharedIP}, nil)
+	mc.EXPECT().ShareIPAddresses(gomock.Any(), linodego.IPAddressesShareOptions{
+		IPs:      []string{dummySharedIP},
+		LinodeID: 11111,
+	}).Times(1)
+	mc.EXPECT().ShareIPAddresses(gomock.Any(), linodego.IPAddressesShareOptions{
+		IPs:      []string{dummySharedIP},
+		LinodeID: 22222,
+	}).Times(1)
+	mc.EXPECT().ShareIPAddresses(gomock.Any(), linodego.IPAddressesShareOptions{
+		IPs:      []string{dummySharedIP},
+		LinodeID: 33333,
+	}).Times(1)
+
 	lbStatus, err := lb.EnsureLoadBalancer(context.TODO(), "linodelb", svc, nodes)
-	if !errors.Is(err, errNoBGPSelector) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected %v, got %v... %s", errNoBGPSelector, err, Options.BGPNodeSelector)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a nil error, got %v", err)
 	}
-	if lbStatus != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("expected a nil lbStatus, got %v", lbStatus)
+	if lbStatus == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected non-nil lbStatus")
 	}
 }