# Inventory updates not appearing after provisioning ec2 instance **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882 "2014-08-07T02:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steven\_Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Steven\_Ringo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steven_Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/1 "2014-08-07T02:02:03Z")
Hi, After provisioning a machine on ec2 module, the inventory doesn’t reflect the new host (using ec2.py). I am using a tag\_name for the target host that comes from the inventory. I have tried all of the following: - pause of 60 seconds after provisioning. - local\_action to refresh the cache, calling ec2.py --refresh-cache - changing the cache\_max\_age timeout to 0 in ec2.ini The other thing I tried was to use not use the inventory script, but to use add\_host with the same group name as my tag name. This seems hacky though and seems also not read the group\_vars, which is a problem. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great. Thanks, Steve ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Steven\_Ringo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steven_Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/2 "2014-08-07T02:30:39Z")
Having a look at the inventory file immediately after the machine is provisioned, it does in fact update correctly. However it appears that the inventory file is run/read only once at the beginning of a playbook, so it will not reflect the new host if the deploy playbook is run by including it after the provisioning playbook. Looks like I will need to use add\_host then, or find a way to get Ansible to refresh the inventory in the middle of a play. ---
**Author:** ![sivel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/sivel/32/1198_2.png) [@sivel](https://forum.ansible.com/u/sivel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/3 "2014-08-07T13:59:40Z")
add\_host is the correct approach. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan1)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/4 "2014-08-07T21:32:16Z")
Correct - inventory files are not re-consulted in the middle of a playbook run. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Steven\_Ringo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steven_Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/5 "2014-08-07T21:35:55Z")
Thanks Michael and and Matt. I have noticed that the group\_vars for a group added in add\_host are (seemingly) not picked up. Is this correct behaviour? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan1)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-updates-not-appearing-after-provisioning-ec2-instance/15882/6 "2014-08-07T21:41:36Z")
If you added it to a group they should be picked up. If seeing this in Ansible 1.7, please do file a bug. If you need a workaround, you could: - include\_vars: group\_vars\_path/groupname\_here At the top of play that targets groupname, but that should not be needed.