diff --git a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
index 6decc1ea5e..8d921eaff9 100644
--- a/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
+++ b/tasks/virt_instance_create.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@
 - include_vars: dir=/srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/all/ ignore_files=README
 
 - name: get vm list
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_interpreter: hostvars[vmhost]['ansible_python_interpreter']
   delegate_to: "{{ vmhost }}"
   virt: command=list_vms
   register: result
   check_mode: no
-  ansible_python_interpreter: hostvars[vmhost]['ansible_python_interpreter']
 
 #- name: ensure no old facts exist
 #  delegate_to: localhost