diff --git a/tasks/ec2/inithost.yml b/tasks/ec2/inithost.yml
index 48e5fa61d679b10cf6e847298ac7b2efa99aad13..46ea5fbeaa8db4e4b507d4ae7c7b8aaef15896e9 100644
--- a/tasks/ec2/inithost.yml
+++ b/tasks/ec2/inithost.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     hostname="{{ host }}"
     static_ipv4="{{ item.public_ip }}"
     groups="{{ initgroups }}"
-  with_items: ec2.instances
+  with_items: '{{ ec2.instances }}'
 
 - name: "Waiting for SSH service becoming available"
   wait_for:
@@ -40,4 +40,4 @@
     delay=10
     timeout=120
     state=present
-  with_items: ec2.instances
+  with_items: '{{ ec2.instances }}'