diff --git a/roles/openqa/server/tasks/main.yml b/roles/openqa/server/tasks/main.yml
index 38b35f3c11..1cfac40077 100644
--- a/roles/openqa/server/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openqa/server/tasks/main.yml
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
   shell: "/usr/share/openqa/script/initdb --user geekotest --init_database"
   register: initdb
   changed_when: "initdb.rc == 0"
-  failed_when: "(initdb.rc > 0) and (initdb.stderr is not defined or initdb.stderr.find('already exists') == -1)"
+  failed_when: "(initdb.rc > 0) and (initdb.stdout is not defined or initdb.stdout.find('already exists') == -1)"
 
 - name: Enable and start services
   service: name={{ item }} enabled=yes state=started