# Combination of serial and start-at-task

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/combination-of-serial-and-start-at-task/37080>\
**Category:** Ansible Developer\
**Created:** [September 8, 2022, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/combination-of-serial-and-start-at-task/37080 "2022-09-08T14:59:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Henk\_Wiedig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/898d66/32.png) [@Henk\_Wiedig](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Henk_Wiedig)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2022, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/combination-of-serial-and-start-at-task/37080/1 "2022-09-08T14:59:58Z")

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Hi everyone !  
I have a question regarding the combination of serial and start-at-task.  
Consider the follwoing play:

---- name: “play”  
hosts: all  
serial: 1  
gather\_facts: no

tasks:

- name: task 1  
debug:  
msg: “Hello from task 1”
- name: task 2  
debug:  
msg: “Hello from task 2”

When i run this useing --start-at-task=“task 2” ony the first host starts at “task2”.  
A subsequent hosts run the full play.  
My expectation was that all host start at “task2” in their batch.

Is this my fault, is this a bug or intentional ?

Thanks Henk

1.

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**Author:** ![Andrew\_Latham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Andrew\_Latham](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Andrew_Latham)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/combination-of-serial-and-start-at-task/37080/2 "2022-09-12T16:45:51Z")

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I would have to dig in but it looks like you might be getting a `play_context.start_at_task = None` and this sounds like a great test to add.