diff --git a/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/createhdds.yml b/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/createhdds.yml
index 20a637999d..dbf9a2ad30 100644
--- a/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/createhdds.yml
+++ b/roles/openqa/worker/tasks/createhdds.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 - name: Change SMT setting if necessary
   command: "ppc64_cpu --smt=off"
-  when: "smtcheck is defined and smtcheck.stdout.find('is off') == -1"
+  when: "smtcheck.stdout is defined and smtcheck.stdout.find('is off') == -1"
 
 - name: Check out createhdds
   git: