diff --git a/roles/taskotron/buildslave-configure/tasks/main.yml b/roles/taskotron/buildslave-configure/tasks/main.yml
index 31ce64be0c..19d102641e 100644
--- a/roles/taskotron/buildslave-configure/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/taskotron/buildslave-configure/tasks/main.yml
@@ -25,11 +25,8 @@
 - name: install slave ssh public key
   copy: src={{ private }}/files/taskotron/{{ buildslave_public_sshkey_file }} dest={{ slave_home }}/.ssh/id_rsa.pub owner={{ slave_user }} group={{ slave_user }} mode=0644
 
-- name: ensure slave's known_hosts file exists
-  file: path=/home/{{ slave_user }}/.ssh/known_hosts owner={{ slave_user }} group={{ slave_user }} mode=0644 state=touch
-
 - name: make sure master is in known_hosts
-  lineinfile: dest=/home/{{ slave_user }}/.ssh/known_hosts regexp='{{ buildmaster }}' line='{{ buildmaster }} {{ buildmaster_pubkey }}'
+  lineinfile: dest=/home/{{ slave_user }}/.ssh/known_hosts regexp='{{ buildmaster }}' line='{{ buildmaster }} {{ buildmaster_pubkey }}' create=yes
 
 - name: generate buildslave service file
   template: src=buildslave.service.j2 dest=/lib/systemd/system/buildslave.service owner=root group=root mode=0744