diff --git a/ansible_version.yml b/ansible_version.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..982880e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible_version.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+- hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: false
+  become: no
+  vars:
+    minimal_ansible_version: 2.8.0
+    ansible_connection: local
+  tasks:
+    - name: "Check ansible version >={{ minimal_ansible_version }}"
+      assert:
+        msg: "Ansible must be {{ minimal_ansible_version }} or higher"
+        that:
+          - ansible_version.string is version(minimal_ansible_version, ">=")
+      tags:
+        - check
diff --git a/cluster.yml b/cluster.yml
index 5573c6975..ca828206c 100644
--- a/cluster.yml
+++ b/cluster.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  gather_facts: false
-  become: no
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false
diff --git a/mitogen.yaml b/mitogen.yaml
index 853c39f9c..d8d308794 100644
--- a/mitogen.yaml
+++ b/mitogen.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 ---
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
+
 - hosts: localhost
   strategy: linear
   vars:
     mitogen_version: master
     mitogen_url: https://github.com/dw/mitogen/archive/{{ mitogen_version }}.zip
+    ansible_connection: local
   tasks:
     - name: Create mitogen plugin dir
       file:
diff --git a/recover-control-plane.yml b/recover-control-plane.yml
index aca777ae1..fe8f74e8a 100644
--- a/recover-control-plane.yml
+++ b/recover-control-plane.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  gather_facts: False
-  become: no
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: bastion[0]
   gather_facts: False
diff --git a/remove-node.yml b/remove-node.yml
index db6f90529..ee6956dcc 100644
--- a/remove-node.yml
+++ b/remove-node.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  become: no
-  gather_facts: no
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: "{{ node | default('etcd:k8s-cluster:calico-rr') }}"
   gather_facts: no
diff --git a/reset.yml b/reset.yml
index 21c92f789..cf64c2f34 100644
--- a/reset.yml
+++ b/reset.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  become: no
-  gather_facts: False
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: bastion[0]
   gather_facts: False
diff --git a/scale.yml b/scale.yml
index 1dc7eb60c..65fecae0e 100644
--- a/scale.yml
+++ b/scale.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  gather_facts: False
-  become: no
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false
diff --git a/upgrade-cluster.yml b/upgrade-cluster.yml
index 83c1502c3..70c3943fe 100644
--- a/upgrade-cluster.yml
+++ b/upgrade-cluster.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
 ---
-- hosts: localhost
-  gather_facts: false
-  become: no
-  tasks:
-    - name: "Check ansible version >=2.7.8"
-      assert:
-        msg: "Ansible must be v2.7.8 or higher"
-        that:
-          - ansible_version.string is version("2.7.8", ">=")
-      tags:
-        - check
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: local
+- name: Check ansible version
+  import_playbook: ansible_version.yml
 
 - hosts: all
   gather_facts: false