# Need to end role when it is run against Ubuntu 18 and below **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** ubuntu\ **Created:** [April 10, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661 "2025-04-10T17:16:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jyanga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jyanga/32/8108_2.png) [@jyanga](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jyanga)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/1 "2025-04-10T17:16:56Z")
I would like the playbook to stop running against any machine that has Ubuntu 18 and below. Here is my attempt. Did I go about it the correct way? ```auto - name: "{{ ansible_os_family }}.yml - checking for unsupported distro versions" debug: msg: "{{ ansible_distribution }} {{ ansible_distribution_version }} is NOT supported by playbook." failed_when: ( ansible_distribution == "Ubuntu" and ansible_distribution_major_version | version("18", "<=") ) ``` I am running ansible [core 2.16.14]. Help. Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Lyle\_McKarns](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/lyle_mckarns/32/8142_2.png) [@Lyle\_McKarns](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Lyle_McKarns)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/2 "2025-04-10T17:24:25Z")
Depending on how you have your workflows laid out, you’re probably better off doing something more like ```auto - name: Include Role only for supported Ubuntu versions include_role: Ubuntu_Role when: ( ansible_distribution == "Ubuntu" and ansible_distribution_major_version | version("18", "=>") ) ``` and just not include the role for systems, rather than include it and then fail when its not needed. ---
**Author:** ![felixfontein](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/felixfontein/32/7530_2.png) [@felixfontein](https://forum.ansible.com/u/felixfontein)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/3 "2025-04-10T17:38:41Z")
Instead of using `ansible.builtin.debug` with `failed_when`, I’d rather use `ansible.builtin.fail` with a regular `when` ([ansible.builtin.fail module – Fail with custom message — Ansible Community Documentation](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/fail_module.html)). If you want to end the role (but continue with the next tasks / roles), you should take a look at `ansible.bulitin.meta` with `end_role` ([ansible.builtin.meta module – Execute Ansible ‘actions’ — Ansible Community Documentation](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/meta_module.html#parameters)). That requires ansible-core 2.18+ though. There are also several other `end_xxx` values that might be of interest (which also work for older ansible-core versions). ---
**Author:** ![binbashroot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@binbashroot](https://forum.ansible.com/u/binbashroot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 12:12pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/4 "2025-04-11T12:12:20Z")
If you are wanting to stop running tasks against a specific version, I would recommend using the meta module. ```auto - name: "End host if not the right diistributiion and major version" ansible.builtin.meta: end_host when: - ansible_distribution == "Ubuntu" - ansible_distribution_major_version <= 18 ``` Using a list for your conditionals is an implied “and”. ---
**Author:** ![jyanga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jyanga/32/8108_2.png) [@jyanga](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jyanga)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/5 "2025-04-11T17:07:45Z")
Thank you all. It took me some time to test your recommendations. I believe that what I need is the `meta` with `end_role` as my playbooks looks something like this. Moreover, I want the rest of the roles to run against the Ubuntu 18 and below machines. ```auto --- - name: setup test machines hosts: test_machines roles: - role1 - role2 - role3 - role4 ``` However, i cannot use the `action` `end_role` as my `ansible-core` needs to be updated. I was hoping to avoid the update as I encountered issue with it before. Any other tricks I can use while I try to test updating? Thank you all for all the help. It is much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![binbashroot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@binbashroot](https://forum.ansible.com/u/binbashroot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/6 "2025-04-11T17:43:24Z")
You can also put conditionals on roles instead of using the meta: attribute. I personally prefer to use include\_role in my tasks section instead of using the roles section in my playbooks. ---
**Author:** ![jyanga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/jyanga/32/8108_2.png) [@jyanga](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jyanga)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-to-end-role-when-it-is-run-against-ubuntu-18-and-below/41661/7 "2025-04-17T18:58:35Z")
Thank you all again. Though I really wanted to use the `meta` with `end_role` solution, I cannot at the moment update my `ansible-core`. I did go with the `include_role` way which satisfied what I need to do for now.