'include_vars' doesn't find the vars file

I want to include a defaults, or variable file in the /defaults/main.yml of a role I am playing
Upon execution I am getting "the defaults/main.yml file for role 'postgres_disable' must contain a dictionary of variables"

====== DETAILED ERROR ============================================================
ansible-playbook [core 2.12.2]
  config file = /home/gwagner/repos/ansible/open_source/postgres_upgrade/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/gwagner/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3.8/site-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/gwagner/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
  python version = 3.8.12 (default, Sep 16 2021, 10:46:05) [GCC 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-3)]
  jinja version = 2.10.3
  libyaml = True
Using /home/gwagner/repos/ansible/open_source/postgres_upgrade/ansible.cfg as config file
host_list declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Parsed /etc/ansible/hosts inventory source with ini plugin
[WARNING]: provided hosts list is empty, only localhost is available. Note that the implicit localhost does not match 'all'
ERROR! The defaults/main.yml file for role 'postgres_disable' must contain a dictionary of variables