diff --git a/tasks/neutron_install.yml b/tasks/neutron_install.yml
index 046ba14e..ac7aa803 100644
--- a/tasks/neutron_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/neutron_install.yml
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
   delay: 2
-  with_items: neutron_requires_pip_packages
+  with_items: "{{ neutron_requires_pip_packages }}"
   tags:
     - neutron-install
     - neutron-pip-packages
diff --git a/tasks/ovs_install-apt.yml b/tasks/ovs_install-apt.yml
index e8f5ed04..ba0bb612 100644
--- a/tasks/ovs_install-apt.yml
+++ b/tasks/ovs_install-apt.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
   delay: 2
-  with_items: ovs_apt_packages
+  with_items: "{{ ovs_apt_packages }}"
   tags:
     - ovs-install
     - ovs-apt-packages