diff --git a/geant/gap_ansible/roles/iptrunk_checks/tasks/main.yml b/geant/gap_ansible/roles/iptrunk_checks/tasks/main.yml
index af907bd0a14dd4ee85f1dae2cdb529c7c4047c6b..a27e38625602125e40af7ac91196ef5657b90d5d 100644
--- a/geant/gap_ansible/roles/iptrunk_checks/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/geant/gap_ansible/roles/iptrunk_checks/tasks/main.yml
@@ -152,5 +152,7 @@
   when: >-
     check == "optical_post"
     and
+    new_node is defined
+    and
     inventory_hostname != new_node.router.router_fqdn
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: diff_optical_results.yaml