diff --git a/community/modules/scheduler/schedmd-slurm-gcp-v6-controller/modules/slurm_files/scripts/resume.py b/community/modules/scheduler/schedmd-slurm-gcp-v6-controller/modules/slurm_files/scripts/resume.py
index e20a7ed195..ad7e902c3d 100755
--- a/community/modules/scheduler/schedmd-slurm-gcp-v6-controller/modules/slurm_files/scripts/resume.py
+++ b/community/modules/scheduler/schedmd-slurm-gcp-v6-controller/modules/slurm_files/scripts/resume.py
@@ -159,16 +159,12 @@ def create_instances_request(nodes, partition_name, placement_group, job_id=None
     # key is instance name, value overwrites properties
     body.perInstanceProperties = {k: per_instance_properties(k) for k in nodes}
 
+    zone_allow = nodeset.zone_policy_allow or []
+    zone_deny = nodeset.zone_policy_deny or []
     body.locationPolicy.locations = {
-        **{
-            f"zones/{zone}": {"preference": "ALLOW"}
-            for zone in nodeset.zone_policy_allow or []
-        },
-        **{
-            f"zones/{zone}": {"preference": "DENY"}
-            for zone in nodeset.zone_policy_deny or []
-        },
-    }
+        **{ f"zones/{z}": {"preference": "ALLOW"} for z in zone_allow },
+        **{ f"zones/{z}": {"preference": "DENY"} for z in zone_deny }}
+    
     body.locationPolicy.targetShape = nodeset.zone_target_shape
 
     if lookup().cfg.enable_slurm_gcp_plugins:
@@ -179,14 +175,15 @@ def create_instances_request(nodes, partition_name, placement_group, job_id=None
             request_body=body,
         )
 
-    request = lookup().compute.regionInstances().bulkInsert(
-        project=lookup().project, region=region, body=body.to_dict()
-    )
+    api_args = dict(
+        project=lookup().project, region=region, body=body.to_dict())
 
-    if log.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
-        log.debug(
-            f"new request: endpoint={request.methodId} nodes={to_hostlist_fast(nodes)}"
-        )
+    if len(zone_allow) == 1: # if only one zone is used, use zonal BulkInsert API, as less prone to errors
+        request = lookup().compute.instances().bulkInsert(**api_args, zone=zone_allow[0])
+    else:
+        request = lookup().compute.regionInstances().bulkInsert(**api_args)
+
+    log.debug(f"new request: endpoint={request.methodId} nodes={to_hostlist_fast(nodes)}")
     log_api_request(request)
     return request