diff --git a/roles/openshift/object/defaults/main.yml b/roles/openshift/object/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8198364aab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/openshift/object/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+--
+template: ''
+template_fullpath: ''
+file: ''
diff --git a/roles/openshift/object/tasks/main.yml b/roles/openshift/object/tasks/main.yml
index e7c19847b6..06c4f90f9e 100644
--- a/roles/openshift/object/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openshift/object/tasks/main.yml
@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@
 
 - name: Copy template {{template}} to temporary file ({{tmpfile.path}})
   template: src={{roles_path}}/openshift-apps/{{app}}/templates/{{template}} dest={{tmpfile.path}}
-  when: template is defined
+  when: template != ''
   run_once: true
 
 - name: Copy template {{template_fullpath}} to temporary file ({{tmpfile.path}})
   template: src={{template_fullpath}} dest={{tmpfile.path}}
-  when: template_fullpath is defined
+  when: template_fullpath != ''
   run_once: true
 
 - name: Copy file {{file}} to temporary file ({{tmpfile.path}})
   copy: src={{roles_path}}/openshift-apps/{{app}}/files/{{file}} dest={{tmpfile.path}}
-  when: file is defined
+  when: file != ''
   run_once: true
 
 - name: Call `oc apply` on the copied file