EX294 Implement advanced Ansible automation Practice Question
An administrator needs to run a playbook in check mode to preview changes on managed hosts, but a critical task using the `command` module must always execute regardless of check mode. Which task directive should be applied to that specific task?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that `always_run` still works in modern Ansible; it was deprecated and removed, so the correct directive is `check_mode: no`.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
`check_mode: no`
The `check_mode: no` task directive overrides the playbook-level check mode for that specific task, forcing it to execute normally even when `--check` is used. This is essential for tasks that must always run, such as those that gather facts or perform critical operations that should not be simulated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
`always_run: yes`
Why it's wrong here
`always_run` was a directive in older Ansible versions but was removed in Ansible 2.2 and replaced by `check_mode`. Using it in current Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments with Ansible Automation Platform will cause a syntax error or be ignored, so it fails to achieve the required behavior.
- ✗
`ignore_errors: yes`
Why it's wrong here
`ignore_errors` allows the playbook to continue even if the task fails, but it does not change whether the task runs in check mode. In check mode, a task without `check_mode: no` will still be skipped, so this directive does not ensure the command executes during a check run.
- ✗
`run_once: true`
Why it's wrong here
`run_once: true` ensures a task runs only on the first host in the batch, not that it bypasses check mode. It does not affect check mode behavior; the task would still be skipped in check mode unless check mode is disabled for that task. This directive addresses execution frequency, not mode.
- ✓
`check_mode: no`
Why this is correct
Setting `check_mode: no` forces the task to run normally even when the playbook is executed with `--check`, overriding the global check mode for that task. This is the correct directive to ensure the command executes regardless of the playbook's check mode setting, allowing critical operations to proceed while other tasks are only simulated.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Red Hat exam blueprint
This EX294 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the EX294 exam.