diff --git a/roles/openshift-apps/fcos-pipeline/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/openshift-apps/fcos-pipeline/tasks/main.yaml
index 7c9453bff4..8052086f9a 100644
--- a/roles/openshift-apps/fcos-pipeline/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/openshift-apps/fcos-pipeline/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 # create the service account
 - name: create service account
   command: "/root/bin/oc create sa {{ project_service_account }} -n {{ project_name }}"
+  register: sa_resource_create
+  failed_when: sa_resource_create.stderr != '' and 'already exists' not in sa_resource_create.stderr
 
 # apply the anyuid-setfcap SCC to the service account
 - name: create service account