diff --git a/docs/mongodb_guide.md b/docs/mongodb_guide.md
index a6a7d3cf..13f74f9e 100644
--- a/docs/mongodb_guide.md
+++ b/docs/mongodb_guide.md
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ The following table contains the most commonly overridden variables.
 | `mongodb_tls_enabled` | Boolean | Flag to enable MongoDB TLS. | `false` |
 | `mongodb_user_admin_password` | String | The MongoDB admin user password. | `admin` |
 | `mongodb_user_itential_password` | String | The MongoDB itential user password. | `itential` |
+| `mongodb_preferred_primary` | String | Node hostname that will be considered primary, empty means the first hostname in the inventory | `` |
 
 > :warning: It is assumed that these default passwords will be changed to meet more rigorous
 security standards. These are intended to be defaults strictly used just for ease of the
@@ -301,3 +302,9 @@ state that the installation tag produced you can run this command:
 ```bash
 ansible-playbook itential.deployer.mongodb -i <inventory> --tags initialize_mongo_config
 ```
+
+This tag is used to dynamically adjust the **MongoDB replica set member priorities** and influence which node becomes the **primary**:
+
+```bash
+ansible-playbook itential.deployer.mongodb -i <inventory> --tags reconfigure_priority
+```
diff --git a/plugins/modules/mongodb_config_state.py b/plugins/modules/mongodb_config_state.py
index b9de3636..9c2425e6 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/mongodb_config_state.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/mongodb_config_state.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def run_module():
 
     uri = build_connection_string(module.params)
 
-    client = MongoClient(uri)
+    client = MongoClient(uri, directConnection=True)
     database = client.get_database("admin")
     hello = database.command("hello")
 
diff --git a/roles/mongodb/defaults/main/mongodb.yml b/roles/mongodb/defaults/main/mongodb.yml
index 44785c8c..acfe0dbb 100644
--- a/roles/mongodb/defaults/main/mongodb.yml
+++ b/roles/mongodb/defaults/main/mongodb.yml
@@ -71,3 +71,11 @@ mongodb_user_itential_password: itential
 
 # The name of the mongo replica set
 mongodb_replset_name: "{{ mongodb_replset_name_default }}"
+
+# Preferred primary member for MongoDB replica sets.
+# Leave empty to use the first host in the mongodb inventory group.
+mongodb_preferred_primary: ""
+
+# Replica set member priorities.
+mongodb_primary_priority: 10
+mongodb_secondary_priority: 5
diff --git a/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb-replicaset.yml b/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb-replicaset.yml
index 14f7698f..3f1b9987 100644
--- a/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb-replicaset.yml
+++ b/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb-replicaset.yml
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@
   register: mongodb_state
   vars:
     ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
 
 - name: Print MongoDB configuration state
   ansible.builtin.debug:
     msg: "{{ mongodb_state }}"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
 
 # Execute the template to apply changes to the mongo.conf for replication
 - name: Create MongoDB config file (replicaset)
@@ -56,28 +58,116 @@
 - name: Set empty array of mongo servers
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
     mongodb_servers: []
-  when: not mongodb_state.replication_enabled
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Set preferred primary host
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_host: "{{ groups.mongodb[0] }}"
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_resolved: "{{ mongodb_preferred_primary | default('', true) | length == 0 }}"
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Normalize preferred primary override
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_input: >-
+      {{ mongodb_preferred_primary | regex_replace(':' + (mongodb_port | string) + '$', '') }}
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary | default('', true) | length > 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Resolve preferred primary override by inventory hostname
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_host: "{{ mongodb_preferred_primary_input }}"
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_resolved: true
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary | default('', true) | length > 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary_input in groups.mongodb
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Resolve preferred primary override by ansible_host or short hostname
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_host: "{{ item }}"
+    mongodb_preferred_primary_resolved: true
+  loop: "{{ groups.mongodb }}"
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary | default('', true) | length > 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary_input not in groups.mongodb
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary_input in [
+        item,
+        (item.split('.')[0]),
+        (hostvars[item].ansible_host | default(''))
+      ]
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Validate preferred primary override
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - mongodb_preferred_primary_resolved | bool
+    fail_msg: >-
+      mongodb_preferred_primary must match a host in groups.mongodb.
+      Received {{ mongodb_preferred_primary }}.
+      Valid inventory hosts: {{ groups.mongodb | join(', ') }}
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - mongodb_preferred_primary | default('', true) | length > 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
 
 # This task should always run, arbiter or not
 - name: Create the replicaset members list (no arbiter)
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mongodb_servers: "{{ mongodb_servers + [item + ':' + mongodb_port | string] }}"
-  with_items: "{{ groups.mongodb }}"
+    mongodb_servers: >-
+      {{ mongodb_servers + [{'host': item + ':' + (mongodb_port | string),
+      'priority': ((item == mongodb_preferred_primary_host) |
+      ternary(mongodb_primary_priority, mongodb_secondary_priority))}]
+      }}
+  loop: "{{ groups.mongodb }}"
   when:
-    - not mongodb_state.replication_enabled
     - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
     - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
 
 # This task will only run when there is an arbiter defined in the hosts file
 - name: Add the arbiter to the list of servers when there is one
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
-    mongodb_servers: "{{ mongodb_servers + [item + ':' + mongodb_port | string] }}"
-  with_items: "{{ groups.mongodb_arbiter }}"
+    mongodb_servers: >-
+      {{ mongodb_servers + [{'host': item + ':' + (mongodb_port | string), 'priority': 0}] }}
+  loop: "{{ groups.mongodb_arbiter }}"
   when:
-    - not mongodb_state.replication_enabled
     - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
     - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
     - groups.mongodb_arbiter is defined
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Debug replication state
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg: "replication_enabled={{ mongodb_state.replication_enabled }} primary={{ mongodb_state.primary }} members={{ mongodb_state.members }}"
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Wait for all MongoDB members to be reachable before creating the replicaset
+  ansible.builtin.wait_for:
+    host: "{{ item }}"
+    port: "{{ mongodb_port }}"
+    timeout: 60
+  loop: "{{ groups.mongodb + (groups.mongodb_arbiter | default([])) }}"
+  when:
+    - not mongodb_state.replication_enabled
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
 
 - name: Create the replicaset
   community.mongodb.mongodb_replicaset:
@@ -119,6 +209,94 @@
   vars:
     ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
 
+- name: Refresh MongoDB configuration state after replicaset changes
+  itential.deployer.mongodb_config_state:
+    login_database: admin
+    login_host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+    login_port: "{{ mongodb_port }}"
+  register: mongodb_state_after_replicaset
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Reconfigure the replicaset priorities
+  community.mongodb.mongodb_replicaset:
+    arbiter_at_index: "{{ (groups.mongodb_arbiter | default([]) | length > 0) | ternary(mongodb_servers | length - 1, omit) }}"
+    auth_mechanism: "SCRAM-SHA-256"
+    login_user: "{{ (mongodb_state.auth_enabled | bool) | ternary(mongodb_user_admin, omit) }}"
+    login_password: "{{ (mongodb_state.auth_enabled | bool) | ternary(mongodb_user_admin_password, omit) }}"
+    login_port: "{{ mongodb_port }}"
+    login_database: admin
+    login_host: "{{ mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary | regex_replace(':.*$', '') }}"
+    members: "{{ mongodb_servers }}"
+    replica_set: "{{ mongodb_replset_name }}"
+    reconfigure: true
+    validate: true
+  register: reconfig_result
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary is defined
+    - mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary | length > 0
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Print reconfigure result
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg: "{{ reconfig_result }}"
+  when:
+    - reconfig_result is defined
+    - reconfig_result is not skipped
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Step down non-preferred primary after replicaset changes
+  community.mongodb.mongodb_shell:
+    mongo_cmd: auto
+    login_user: "{{ mongodb_state.auth_enabled | ternary(mongodb_user_admin, omit) }}"
+    login_password: "{{ mongodb_state.auth_enabled | ternary(mongodb_user_admin_password, omit) }}"
+    login_port: "{{ mongodb_port }}"
+    login_database: admin
+    login_host: "{{ mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary | regex_replace(':.*$', '') }}"
+    eval: "db.adminCommand({replSetStepDown: 60, force: true})"
+  register: stepdown_result
+  failed_when: false
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - groups.mongodb.index(inventory_hostname) == 0
+    - reconfig_result is changed
+    - mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary is defined
+    - (mongodb_state_after_replicaset.primary | regex_replace(':.*$', '')) != mongodb_preferred_primary_host
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
+- name: Ensure replicaset is stable after primary stepdown
+  community.mongodb.mongodb_status:
+    login_user: "{{ mongodb_state.auth_enabled | ternary(mongodb_user_admin, omit) }}"
+    login_password: "{{ mongodb_state.auth_enabled | ternary(mongodb_user_admin_password, omit) }}"
+    login_port: "{{ mongodb_port }}"
+    login_database: admin
+    login_host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
+    replica_set: "{{ mongodb_replset_name }}"
+    poll: "{{ mongodb_status_poll }}"
+    interval: "{{ mongodb_status_interval }}"
+    validate: minimal
+  register: rs_after_stepdown
+  failed_when:
+    - "'Unable to determine if auth is enabled' not in rs_after_stepdown.msg"
+    - "'replicaset is in a converged state' not in rs_after_stepdown.msg"
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups.mongodb
+    - stepdown_result is defined
+    - stepdown_result is not skipped
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ mongodb_python_venv }}/bin/python3"
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
+
 # Starting in MongoDB 5.0, the implicit default write concern is w: majority.
 # However, special considerations are made for deployments containing arbiters:
 # The voting majority of a replica set is 1 plus half the number of voting
diff --git a/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb.yml b/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb.yml
index 24b9abae..db4d7ebc 100644
--- a/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb.yml
+++ b/roles/mongodb/tasks/configure-mongodb.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
 - name: Configure MongoDB replica set
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
     file: configure-mongodb-replicaset.yml
+    apply:
+      tags: reconfigure_priority
   when: mongodb_replication_enabled | bool
+  tags: reconfigure_priority
 
 # Configure auth
 - name: Configure MongoDB Auth