# How to test deploy of Podman Quadlet using Ansible Molecule with host provided by Podman

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-test-deploy-of-podman-quadlet-using-ansible-molecule-with-host-provided-by-podman/46244>\
**Category:** Get Help\
**Tags:** podman, molecule\
**Created:** [August 31, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-test-deploy-of-podman-quadlet-using-ansible-molecule-with-host-provided-by-podman/46244 "2026-08-31T16:16:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rgaiacs](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/rgaiacs/32/11102_2.png) [@rgaiacs](https://forum.ansible.com/u/rgaiacs)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-test-deploy-of-podman-quadlet-using-ansible-molecule-with-host-provided-by-podman/46244/1 "2026-08-31T16:16:30Z")

</div>

I’m trying to create a role that deploys one application using Podman Quadlet and I want to test the role using Molecule with host provided by Podman. This means that, during test, the application with be deployed in a “Podman in Podman” scenario.

When Ansible Molecule runs `containers.podman.podman_quadlet`, it reports the error

```auto
connecting to systemd dbus: dial unix /run/systemd/private: connect: no such file or directory

```

I’m using the container image `quay.io/podman/stable:latest` as documented in [image\_build/podman at main · podman-container-tools/image\_build · GitHub](https://github.com/podman-container-tools/image_build/tree/main/podman) and running the container as privileged.

Any example for me to use as reference? Or suggestions on how to resolve the error?

Complete role available in [podiru/traefik: Ansible role to deploy Traefik using Podman Quadlet - Codeberg.org](https://codeberg.org/podiru/traefik)

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dbrennand](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/dbrennand/32/7830_2.png) [@dbrennand](https://forum.ansible.com/u/dbrennand)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 6:54am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-test-deploy-of-podman-quadlet-using-ansible-molecule-with-host-provided-by-podman/46244/2 "2026-09-01T06:54:52Z")

</div>

Hi @rgaiacs

I’m on mobile right now but my guess is that the image `quay.io/podman/stable:latest` doesn’t start systemd as PID 1, so systemd is not running.

Can you please try using the instructions outlined in the Molecule documentation for running systemd in a container using podman: [Systemd container - Ansible Molecule](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/molecule/guides/systemd-container/#systemd-container)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rgaiacs](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/rgaiacs/32/11102_2.png) [@rgaiacs](https://forum.ansible.com/u/rgaiacs)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 7:26am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-test-deploy-of-podman-quadlet-using-ansible-molecule-with-host-provided-by-podman/46244/3 "2026-09-01T07:26:54Z")

</div>

Hi @dbrennand,

Thanks for the reply and to point to the part of the documentation that I forgot.

I believe that my problem is due to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). I forgot to mention this in the original post because I always forgot that some things does not works as expected on WSL, for example [systemctl --user status failing due to `/run/user/\<UID\>` being incorrectly set up · Issue #13143 · microsoft/WSL · GitHub](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/13143) and [[WSL 2.9 regression] Rootless Docker/Podman cannot start any container — standard /sys/fs/cgroup/user.slice path missing after cgroup hierarchy moved under /wsl-user/distro-N/ · Issue #41492 · microsoft/WSL · GitHub](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/41492).

I will have to check on my bare metal GNU/Linux machine.