try this

playbooks/manual/upgrade/bodhi.yml

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+- include_vars: dir=/srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/all/ ignore_files=README
+
 - name: check to see if a mash is going on before we do anything...
   hosts: bodhi-backend:bodhi-backend-stg
   user: root
@@ -6,8 +8,6 @@
    - "/srv/private/ansible/vars.yml"
    - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml
 
-   - include_vars: dir=/srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/all/ ignore_files=README
-
   tasks:
   - name: Check for the existance of a mashing lock.
     shell: "curl https://bodhi{{env_suffix}}.fedoraproject.org/composes/"