diff --git a/internal/state/nodepool.go b/internal/state/nodepool.go
index 21bde3f9d..ae48b34b6 100644
--- a/internal/state/nodepool.go
+++ b/internal/state/nodepool.go
@@ -139,9 +139,16 @@ func getNodePools(ctx context.Context, k8sClient client.Client, cr *nvidiav1alph
 			nodePool.name = rhcosVersion
 		}
 
-		if _, exists := nodePoolMap[nodePool.name]; !exists {
+		// Pool names drop arch and _64k. The node selector and the
+		// precompiled image tag keep the raw kernel, so x86_64 and
+		// aarch64 (or 4k and 64k) stay separate pools when those names match.
+		poolKey := nodePool.name
+		if nodePool.kernel != "" {
+			poolKey = nodePool.name + "/" + nodePool.kernel
+		}
+		if _, exists := nodePoolMap[poolKey]; !exists {
 			logger.Info("Detected new node pool", "NodePool", nodePool)
-			nodePoolMap[nodePool.name] = nodePool
+			nodePoolMap[poolKey] = nodePool
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -154,7 +161,10 @@ func sortedNodePools(nodePoolMap map[string]nodePool) []nodePool {
 		nodePools = append(nodePools, nodePool)
 	}
 	sort.Slice(nodePools, func(i, j int) bool {
-		return nodePools[i].name < nodePools[j].name
+		if nodePools[i].name != nodePools[j].name {
+			return nodePools[i].name < nodePools[j].name
+		}
+		return nodePools[i].kernel < nodePools[j].kernel
 	})
 	return nodePools
 }
diff --git a/internal/state/nodepool_test.go b/internal/state/nodepool_test.go
index e7e36955b..aea13853d 100644
--- a/internal/state/nodepool_test.go
+++ b/internal/state/nodepool_test.go
@@ -307,6 +307,57 @@ func TestGetNodePoolsPartitionsPrecompiledNodesByKernel(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, "5.15.0-70-generic_x86_64", nodePools[0].nodeSelector[nfdKernelLabelKey])
 }
 
+func TestGetNodePoolsKeepsPrecompiledKernelsThatSanitizeTogether(t *testing.T) {
+	require.NoError(t, corev1.AddToScheme(scheme.Scheme))
+
+	// x86_64 and aarch64 sanitize to the same string. See TestGetSanitizedKernelVersion.
+	const (
+		x86Kernel = "5.14.0-427.37.1.el9_4.x86_64"
+		armKernel = "5.14.0-427.37.1.el9_4.aarch64"
+	)
+	node := func(name, kernel string) *corev1.Node {
+		return &corev1.Node{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name: name,
+			Labels: map[string]string{
+				consts.GPUPresentLabel:        "true",
+				consts.NVIDIADriverOwnerLabel: "driver-a",
+				nfdOSReleaseIDLabelKey:        "rhel",
+				nfdOSVersionIDLabelKey:        "9.4",
+				nfdOSVersionIDMajorLabelKey:   "9",
+				nfdKernelLabelKey:             kernel,
+			},
+		}}
+	}
+	k8sClient := fake.NewClientBuilder().
+		WithScheme(scheme.Scheme).
+		WithObjects(
+			node("x86-node", x86Kernel),
+			node("arm-node", armKernel),
+			node("second-x86-node", x86Kernel),
+		).
+		Build()
+	driver := &nvidiav1alpha1.NVIDIADriver{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "driver-a"},
+		Spec: nvidiav1alpha1.NVIDIADriverSpec{
+			UsePrecompiled: new(true),
+		},
+	}
+
+	nodePools, err := getNodePools(context.Background(), k8sClient, driver, false)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, nodePools, 2)
+	got := map[string]string{}
+	for _, pool := range nodePools {
+		require.Equal(t, "rhel9-5.14.0-427.37.1.el9.4", pool.name)
+		got[pool.kernel] = pool.nodeSelector[nfdKernelLabelKey]
+	}
+	require.Equal(t, map[string]string{
+		x86Kernel: x86Kernel,
+		armKernel: armKernel,
+	}, got)
+}
+
 func TestGetNodePoolsPartitionsOpenShiftNodesByRHCOSVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, corev1.AddToScheme(scheme.Scheme))