diff --git a/roles/copr/backend/files/provision/provision_builder_tasks.yml b/roles/copr/backend/files/provision/provision_builder_tasks.yml
index 0ac5d8d1b7..a229591afb 100644
--- a/roles/copr/backend/files/provision/provision_builder_tasks.yml
+++ b/roles/copr/backend/files/provision/provision_builder_tasks.yml
@@ -123,11 +123,25 @@
 - name: make sure the enable-swap service has already finished
   shell: "systemctl is-active enable-swap || :"
   register: enable_swap_active
-  until: "'inactive' in enable_swap_active.stdout"
+  until: "'inactive' in enable_swap_active.stdout or 'failed' in enable_swap_active.stdout"
   retries: 20
   delay: 1
   when: starting_builder
 
+- name: debug the swap failure
+  shell: journalctl -u enable-swap
+  register: journalctl_output
+  when:
+    - starting_builder
+    - "'failed' in enable_swap_active.stdout"
+
+- name: print out the output
+  debug: var=enable_swap_active.stdout_lines
+  when:
+    - starting_builder
+    - "'failed' in enable_swap_active.stdout"
+  failed_when: true
+
 - name: Collect facts about builder hardware
   setup:
     gather_subset: