diff --git a/playbooks/host-reboot.yml b/playbooks/host-reboot.yml
index 75bb67930f..91e855b7a6 100644
--- a/playbooks/host-reboot.yml
+++ b/playbooks/host-reboot.yml
@@ -6,18 +6,18 @@
 
   tasks:
   - name: see if it needs to be rebooted
-    action: shell test -f /usr/local/bin/needs-reboot.py && /usr/local/bin/needs-reboot.py
+    action: command /usr/local/bin/needs-reboot.py
     ignore_errors: True
     register: needsreboot
 
   - name: reboot the host
     action: command touch /tmp/would-reboot
 #/sbin/reboot
-    only_if: '${needsreboot.stdout}.find("yes") != -1'
+    only_if: "'${needsreboot.stdout}'.find('yes') != -1"
 
   - name: wait for host to come back - up to 6 minutes
     local_action: wait_for host=${inventory_hostname} port=22 delay=10 timeout=420
-    only_if: '${needsreboot.stdout}.find("yes") != -1'
+    only_if: "'${needsreboot.stdout}'.find('yes') != -1"