diff --git a/roles/vncserver/tasks/main.yml b/roles/vncserver/tasks/main.yml
index aad060a64e7bb34e604a0b23d90038114c10668b..d955ea1c8eb1e4886a81507d1efcd73223bc5214 100644
--- a/roles/vncserver/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/vncserver/tasks/main.yml
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 
 - name: install system packages apt
   apt: name={{ item }} state=present update_cache=true  force=yes
+  with_items: "{{ system_packages }}"
   become: true
-  with_items: {{ system_packages }}
   when: ansible_os_family == 'Debian'
 
 - name: force the use of KDE desktop