diff --git a/tasks/base.yml b/tasks/base.yml
index 7ec1f6aa38..c66d2d6e4a 100644
--- a/tasks/base.yml
+++ b/tasks/base.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
   copy: src={{ item }} dest=/etc/ssh/sshd_config mode=600
   first_available_file:
     - {{ sshd_config }}
-    - {{ files }}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_fqdn }}
-    - {{ files }}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ host_group }}
-    - {{ files }}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ dist_tag }}
-    - {{ files }}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_distribution }}
-    - {{ files }}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_distribution_version }}
+    - ${files}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_fqdn }}
+    - ${files}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ host_group }}
+    - ${files}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ dist_tag }}
+    - ${files}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_distribution }}
+    - ${files}/ssh/sshd_config.{{ ansible_distribution_version }}
   notify:
   - restart sshd
   tags: