# "msg": "MODULE FAILURE: No start of json char found\\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error" **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** aws\ **Created:** [April 24, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/msg-module-failure-no-start-of-json-char-found-nsee-stdout-stderr-for-the-exact-error/42009 "2025-04-24T17:17:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vonks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/71c47a/32.png) [@vonks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vonks)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/msg-module-failure-no-start-of-json-char-found-nsee-stdout-stderr-for-the-exact-error/42009/1 "2025-04-24T17:17:05Z")
- I am trying to create an ec2 instance using the ansible playbook, by running the playbook from my local machine (mac) - ansible --version ansible [core 2.18.5] config file = None configured module search path = [‘/Users/von/.ansible/plugins/modules’, ‘/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules’] ansible python module location = /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ansible ansible collection location = /Users/von/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections executable location = /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/ansible python version = 3.13.3 (v3.13.3:6280bb54784, Apr 8 2025, 10:47:54) [Clang 15.0.0 (clang-1500.3.9.4)] (/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/python3.13) jinja version = 3.1.6 libyaml = True - Include relevant logs from the issue - Use backticks (```) to help format your logs and code (easy-to-read posts are easier to answer too!), like this: ```auto - my code! --- # tasks file for ec2 - name: start an instance with a public IP address amazon.aws.ec2_instance: name: "ansible-instance" # key_name: "prod-ssh-key" # vpc_subnet_id: subnet-013744e41e8088axx instance_type: t2.micro security_group: default region: us-east-1 aws_access_key: "{{ec2_access_key}}" # From vault as defined aws_secret_key: "{{ec2_secret_key}}" # From vault as defined network: assign_public_ip: true image_id: ami-04b70fa74e45c3917 ``` ERROR: ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini ec2\_create.yaml --vault-password-file vault.pass -vvv ansible-playbook [core 2.18.5] config file = None configured module search path = [‘/Users/von/.ansible/plugins/modules’, ‘/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules’] ansible python module location = /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ansible ansible collection location = /Users/von/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections executable location = /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/ansible-playbook python version = 3.13.3 (v3.13.3:6280bb54784, Apr 8 2025, 10:47:54) [Clang 15.0.0 (clang-1500.3.9.4)] (/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/python3.13) jinja version = 3.1.6 libyaml = True No config file found; using defaults host\_list declined parsing /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/inventory.ini as it did not pass its verify\_file() method script declined parsing /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/inventory.ini as it did not pass its verify\_file() method auto declined parsing /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/inventory.ini as it did not pass its verify\_file() method yaml declined parsing /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/inventory.ini as it did not pass its verify\_file() method Parsed /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/inventory.ini inventory source with ini plugin Skipping callback ‘default’, as we already have a stdout callback. Skipping callback ‘minimal’, as we already have a stdout callback. Skipping callback ‘oneline’, as we already have a stdout callback. PLAYBOOK: ec2\_create.yaml \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* 1 plays in ec2\_create.yaml PLAY [localhost] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* TASK [Gathering Facts] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* task path: /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/ec2\_create.yaml:2 \<127.0.0.1\> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: von \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘echo ~von && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘( umask 77 && mkdir -p “`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp`”&& mkdir “`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698`” && echo ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698=“`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698`” ) && sleep 0’ Using module file /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ansible/modules/setup.py \<127.0.0.1\> PUT /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-22149jbyf33g/tmpb1jy5rm9 TO /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698/AnsiballZ\_setup.py \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘chmod u+x /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698/ /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698/AnsiballZ\_setup.py && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/python3.13 /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698/AnsiballZ\_setup.py && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘rm -f -r /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.303872-2215-118248513378698/ \> /dev/null 2\>&1 && sleep 0’ ok: [localhost] TASK [ec2 : start an instance with a public IP address] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* task path: /Users/von/Downloads/devopspractise/ansible/ec2/ec2/tasks/main.yml:3 \<127.0.0.1\> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: von \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘echo ~von && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘( umask 77 && mkdir -p “`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp`”&& mkdir “`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019`” && echo ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019=“`echo /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019`” ) && sleep 0’ Using module file /Users/von/.ansible/collections/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py \<127.0.0.1\> PUT /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-22149jbyf33g/tmp55krfkzi TO /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘chmod u+x /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/ /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.13/bin/python3.13 /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py && sleep 0’ \<127.0.0.1\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘rm -f -r /Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/ \> /dev/null 2\>&1 && sleep 0’ The full traceback is: Traceback (most recent call last): File “/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py”, line 107, in \_ansiballz\_main() ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^^ File “/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py”, line 99, in \_ansiballz\_main invoke\_module(zipped\_mod, temp\_path, ANSIBALLZ\_PARAMS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File “/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py”, line 47, in invoke\_module runpy.run\_module(mod\_name=‘ansible\_collections.amazon.aws.plugins.modules.ec2\_instance’, init\_globals=dict(\_module\_fqn=‘ansible\_collections.amazon.aws.plugins.modules.ec2\_instance’, \_modlib\_path=modlib\_path), ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ run\_name=‘ **main** ’, alter\_sys=True) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ File “”, line 226, in run\_module File “”, line 98, in \_run\_module\_code File “”, line 88, in \_run\_code File “/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py”, line 2897, in File “/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py”, line 2864, in main File “/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py”, line 2644, in build\_filters File “/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py”, line 2628, in build\_network\_filters File “/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py”, line 2608, in describe\_default\_subnet TypeError: ‘NoneType’ object is not subscriptable fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! =\> { “changed”: false, “module\_stderr”: “Traceback (most recent call last):\n File "/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py", line 107, in \n \_ansiballz\_main()\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^\n File "/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py", line 99, in \_ansiballz\_main\n invoke\_module(zipped\_mod, temp\_path, ANSIBALLZ\_PARAMS)\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n File "/Users/von/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1745514372.6376588-2247-242935107075019/AnsiballZ\_ec2\_instance.py", line 47, in invoke\_module\n runpy.run\_module(mod\_name=‘ansible\_collections.amazon.aws.plugins.modules.ec2\_instance’, init\_globals=dict(\_module\_fqn=‘ansible\_collections.amazon.aws.plugins.modules.ec2\_instance’, \_modlib\_path=modlib\_path),\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n run\_name=‘ **main** ’, alter\_sys=True)\n ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n File "", line 226, in run\_module\n File "", line 98, in \_run\_module\_code\n File "", line 88, in \_run\_code\n File "/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py", line 2897, in \n File "/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py", line 2864, in main\n File "/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py", line 2644, in build\_filters\n File "/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py", line 2628, in build\_network\_filters\n File "/var/folders/6y/ylm\_dbyx0nndcv1h93qssdy40000gn/T/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload\_63yedp12/ansible\_amazon.aws.ec2\_instance\_payload.zip/ansible\_collections/amazon/aws/plugins/modules/ec2\_instance.py", line 2608, in describe\_default\_subnet\nTypeError: ‘NoneType’ object is not subscriptable\n”, “module\_stdout”: “”, “msg”: “MODULE FAILURE: No start of json char found\nSee stdout/stderr for the exact error”, “rc”: 1 } PLAY RECAP \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* localhost : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=1 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0 Thank You in advance for the suggestions ---
**Author:** ![mikemorency](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/mikemorency/32/2672_2.png) [@mikemorency](https://forum.ansible.com/u/mikemorency)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/msg-module-failure-no-start-of-json-char-found-nsee-stdout-stderr-for-the-exact-error/42009/2 "2025-05-15T14:08:40Z")
> [@vonks](#): > > describe\_default\_subnet\nTypeError: ‘NoneType’ object is not subscriptable Seems like your VPC or subnets are misconfigured. Do you have a default subnet defined in AWS?