diff --git a/cli/cmd/cluster_gate.go b/cli/cmd/cluster_gate.go
index 021259c9..1aa257e8 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/cluster_gate.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/cluster_gate.go
@@ -222,7 +222,10 @@ func offerKind(d cluster.Decision) (string, error) {
 		how := "Re-run kates deploy in a terminal to be asked."
 		if configExistsFn(cluster.DefaultKindConfig) {
 			how = fmt.Sprintf("Re-run in a terminal to be prompted, or create it directly:\n"+
-				"    kind create cluster --config %s --name %s", cluster.DefaultKindConfig, cluster.DefaultKindClusterName)
+				"    kind create cluster --config %s --name %s\n"+
+				// The first zone is the control-plane node, and Kafka pods pin to each zone.
+				"    kubectl taint nodes %s node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane:NoSchedule-",
+				cluster.DefaultKindConfig, cluster.DefaultKindClusterName, cluster.KindZones[0])
 		}
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("no reachable Kubernetes cluster.\n"+
 			"  Docker and kind are available — a local %d-zone cluster can be created.\n  %s",
diff --git a/cli/cmd/cluster_gate_test.go b/cli/cmd/cluster_gate_test.go
index f2d272df..b694e981 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/cluster_gate_test.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/cluster_gate_test.go
@@ -514,6 +514,9 @@ func TestResolveCluster_OfferKindNonTTYFailsWithoutPrompting(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "kind create cluster") {
 		t.Errorf("error should give the manual command, got: %v", err)
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "kubectl taint nodes alpha node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane:NoSchedule-") {
+		t.Errorf("error should free the control-plane zone, or Kafka stays Pending, got: %v", err)
+	}
 }
 
 // IsInteractive is the single guard everything else relies on.