diff --git a/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml b/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
index dc52fe93..bb5c29bb 100644
--- a/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
+++ b/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
       get_url: url={{ item.1.url }} dest={{ item.0.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name }}/WEB-INF/lib/{{ item.1.file }} owner={{ item.0.user }} group={{ item.0.user }} force=yes
       with_together:
         - '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
-        - '{{ geoserver_patches_data | default ([]) }}'
+        - '{{ geoserver_patches_data | default (omit) }}'
       notify: tomcat instances restart
       tags: [ 'geoserver', 'geopatch' ]