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Ansible in a Minute · Ansible Core ·

Debug a when condition before you skip a task

Short answer

Print the values in a when expression so you can see why Ansible skips a task.

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Request

stat /etc/hosts then debug exists then when exists

Example

A quick heads-up: Every environment is different. Review and test this example before you run it on systems you care about.

YAML
---
- name: Debug a when condition
  hosts: all
  gather_facts: false
  tasks:
    - name: Stat /etc/hosts
      ansible.builtin.stat:
        path: /etc/hosts
      register: file_stat

    - name: Debug file_stat.stat.exists
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "{{ file_stat.stat.exists }}"

    - name: Print when the file exists
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "File exists"
      when: file_stat.stat.exists

How it works

A skipped task does not show the expression result. Print the registered value first. Then keep the same expression in when.

When to use it

  • Finding why a task is skipped
  • Checking a registered result before you add when

Requirements

  • Ansible: >=2.14

Validation

  • Syntax validated
  • Not execution-tested
  • Last verified 2026-09-15

Notes

Run the playbook with -v to see skipped-task detail. Keep the debug task while you develop. Remove it when the condition is correct.

Reference

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Debug a when condition before you skip a task · Level Up Labs