diff --git a/playbooks/groups/koji-hub.yml b/playbooks/groups/koji-hub.yml
index 8a134bf4e4..55add79696 100644
--- a/playbooks/groups/koji-hub.yml
+++ b/playbooks/groups/koji-hub.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   - role: keytab/service
     service: shadow
     host: "koji{{env_suffix}}.fedoraproject.org"
-    when: "{{fedmsg_koji_instance}} != 'primary'"
+    when: "fedmsg_koji_instance != 'primary'"
   - koji_hub
   - { role: nfs/server, when: env == "staging" }
   - { role: keepalived, when: env == "production" and inventory_hostname.startswith('koji') }