diff --git a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/checks/check_mandatory_vars.yml b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/checks/check_mandatory_vars.yml
index 2cf5ba39d..08eb72a5a 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/checks/check_mandatory_vars.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/checks/check_mandatory_vars.yml
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@
   when:
     - osd_group_name is defined
     - osd_group_name in group_names
-    - (journal_collocation and raw_multi_journal)
-      or (journal_collocation and osd_directory)
-      or (journal_collocation and bluestore)
-      or (raw_multi_journal and osd_directory)
-      or (raw_multi_journal and bluestore)
-      or (osd_directory and bluestore)
+    - (journal_collocation|default(False) and raw_multi_journal|default(False))
+      or (journal_collocation|default(False) and osd_directory|default(False))
+      or (journal_collocation|default(False) and bluestore|default(False))
+      or (raw_multi_journal|default(False) and osd_directory|default(False))
+      or (raw_multi_journal|default(False) and bluestore|default(False))
+      or (osd_directory|default(False) and bluestore|default(False))
 
 - name: verify devices have been provided
   fail: