diff --git a/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml b/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
index e9c528a1a8..8d09bdb903 100644
--- a/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/koji_builder/tasks/main.yml
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
 
 - name: set kernel params for more loops
   action: command /sbin/grubby --update-kernel=ALL --args=max_loop=64 
-  when: max_loop.stdout.find("max_loop=64") == -1
+  when: max_loop is defined and max_loop.stdout.find("max_loop=64") == -1
 
 #
 # x86_64 builders run pungify, that needs hfs module in order to make