diff --git a/group_vars/osds.sample b/group_vars/osds.sample
index 23713d101..88d1b6b62 100644
--- a/group_vars/osds.sample
+++ b/group_vars/osds.sample
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ dummy:
 #  - /dev/sdf
 #  - /dev/sdg
 #  - /dev/sdg
+#raw_journal_devices: []
 
 
 # III. Use directory instead of disk for OSDs
diff --git a/roles/ceph-osd/defaults/main.yml b/roles/ceph-osd/defaults/main.yml
index a39814514..a4757f9e8 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-osd/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-osd/defaults/main.yml
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ raw_multi_journal: false
 #  - /dev/sdf
 #  - /dev/sdg
 #  - /dev/sdg
+raw_journal_devices: []
 
 
 # III. Use directory instead of disk for OSDs
diff --git a/roles/ceph-osd/tasks/check_devices.yml b/roles/ceph-osd/tasks/check_devices.yml
index 541aa7436..547cd295e 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-osd/tasks/check_devices.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-osd/tasks/check_devices.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 - name: check the partition status of the journal devices
   shell: "parted --script {{ item }} print > /dev/null 2>&1"
-  with_items: "{{ raw_journal_devices|default([])|unique }}"
+  with_items: "{{ raw_journal_devices|unique }}"
   changed_when: false
   failed_when: false
   register: journal_partition_status
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
   shell: "sgdisk --zap-all --clear --mbrtogpt -- {{ item.1 }} || sgdisk --zap-all --clear --mbrtogpt -- {{ item.1 }}"
   with_together:
     - "{{ journal_partition_status.results }}"
-    - "{{ raw_journal_devices|default([])|unique }}"
+    - "{{ raw_journal_devices|unique }}"
   changed_when: false
   when:
     - raw_multi_journal