diff --git a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
index 8d921eaff9..c698770084 100644
--- a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
+++ b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 - name: get vm list
   vars:
-    ansible_python_interpreter: hostvars[vmhost]['ansible_python_interpreter']
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ hostvars[vmhost]['ansible_python_interpreter'] }}"
   delegate_to: "{{ vmhost }}"
   virt: command=list_vms
   register: result