sysctl module is not idempotent when modifying custom sysctl files on Ubuntu #680
Description
SUMMARY
When using the ansible.posix.sysctl module to set a sysctl key to a value that already exists in a custom sysctl file, the module incorrectly reports changed: true on subsequent runs on Ubuntu (22.04 and 24.04), even though the file is already correctly configured. This breaks idempotence.
The first run correctly returns changed: true (since the key is being set), but all following runs should return changed: false if no changes are necessary. On Ubuntu, they incorrectly keep returning changed: true.
Interestingly, the same task behaves correctly on other operating systems like, Fedora, and Arch, where subsequent runs are idempotent and return changed: false.
ISSUE TYPE
- Bug Report
COMPONENT NAME
sysctl
ANSIBLE VERSION
ansible [core 2.18.7]
config file = None
configured module search path = ['/root/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3.13/site-packages/ansible
ansible collection location = /root/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
executable location = /usr/bin/ansible
python version = 3.13.5 (main, Jun 11 2025, 22:06:31) [GCC] (/usr/bin/python3.13)
jinja version = 3.1.6
libyaml = True
COLLECTION VERSION
Collection Version
------------- -------
ansible.posix 1.6.2
CONFIGURATION
OS / ENVIRONMENT
Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
- name: Reproduce sysctl changed bug on Ubuntu
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: false
become: true
tasks:
- name: Set existing identical value
ansible.posix.sysctl:
name: vm.swappiness
value: "10"
sysctl_file: /tmp/idempotent1.conf
register: test_result
- name: Set existing identical value (idemptency)
ansible.posix.sysctl:
name: vm.swappiness
value: "10"
systl_file: /tmp/idempotent1.conf
EXPECTED RESULTS
We would expect the second time we execute module to get an ok status
ACTUAL RESULTS
TASK [Set existing identical value] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /tmp/e.yml:6
<127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: root
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'echo ~root && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '( umask 77 && mkdir -p "` echo /root/.ansible/tmp `"&& mkdir "` echo /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098 `" && echo ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098="` echo /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098 `" ) && sleep 0'
Using module file /opt/python3.12/lib/python3.12/site-packages/ansible_collections/ansible/posix/plugins/modules/sysctl.py
<127.0.0.1> PUT /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-3882c_clc1fe/tmptnzzu__6 TO /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'chmod u+rwx /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098/ /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '/opt/python3.12/bin/python3.12 /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'rm -f -r /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124028.325896-3885-177548708992098/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'
changed: [localhost] => {
"changed": true,
"invocation": {
"module_args": {
"ignoreerrors": false,
"name": "vm.swappiness",
"reload": true,
"state": "present",
"sysctl_file": "/tmp/idempotent.conf",
"sysctl_set": false,
"value": "10"
}
}
}
TASK [Set existing identical value (idemptency)] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /tmp/e.yml:13
<127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: root
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'echo ~root && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '( umask 77 && mkdir -p "` echo /root/.ansible/tmp `"&& mkdir "` echo /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472 `" && echo ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472="` echo /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472 `" ) && sleep 0'
Using module file /opt/python3.12/lib/python3.12/site-packages/ansible_collections/ansible/posix/plugins/modules/sysctl.py
<127.0.0.1> PUT /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-3882c_clc1fe/tmpgeot1im1 TO /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'chmod u+rwx /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472/ /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '/opt/python3.12/bin/python3.12 /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472/AnsiballZ_sysctl.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'rm -f -r /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1756124029.7301872-3912-50620302340472/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'
changed: [localhost] => {
"changed": true,
"invocation": {
"module_args": {
"ignoreerrors": false,
"name": "vm.swappiness",
"reload": true,
"state": "present",
"sysctl_file": "/tmp/idempotent.conf",
"sysctl_set": false,
"value": "10"
}
}
}
PLAY RECAP ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=2 changed=2 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0