diff --git a/roles/ceph-mon/tasks/secure_cluster.yml b/roles/ceph-mon/tasks/secure_cluster.yml
index 5ee48ca5e..9c67becea 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-mon/tasks/secure_cluster.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-mon/tasks/secure_cluster.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@
 - name: secure the cluster
   command: ceph --cluster {{ cluster }} osd pool set {{ item[0] }} {{ item[1] }} true
   with_nested:
-    - ceph_pools.stdout_lines
+    - "{{ ceph_pools.stdout_lines|default([]) }}"
     - secure_cluster_flags
   when: "{{ ceph_version | version_compare('0.94.0', '>=') }}"