Ignore Errors in Ansible — Continue Playbook on Task Failure | Red Hat Certified Engineer Explained
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage task execution and roles. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
TASK [Install packages] ********************************************************
fatal: [db1]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "No package matching 'mariadb' found"}
...ignoring
An administrator sees this output during a playbook run. What can they conclude?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
TASK [Install packages] ********************************************************
fatal: [db1]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "No package matching 'mariadb' found"}
...ignoring
A
The task had ignore_errors set to yes
The fatal error followed by 'ignoring' indicates ignore_errors was enabled.
B
The playbook was run with the --ignore-errors command-line flag
Why wrong: The output shows task-level ignoring, not a global flag.
C
The task was part of a block with rescue
Why wrong: Rescue blocks do not show '...ignoring'.
D
The playbook was run with the --check flag
Why wrong: --check would show 'check mode' not ignoring.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The task had ignore_errors set to yes
When a task fails in Ansible but the playbook continues execution and shows a 'changed' or 'ok' status instead of 'failed', it indicates that the task has `ignore_errors: yes` set. This directive tells Ansible to treat any failure as a success, allowing the play to proceed without interruption.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The task had ignore_errors set to yes
Why this is correct
The fatal error followed by 'ignoring' indicates ignore_errors was enabled.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The playbook was run with the --ignore-errors command-line flag
Why it's wrong here
The output shows task-level ignoring, not a global flag.
✗
The task was part of a block with rescue
Why it's wrong here
Rescue blocks do not show '...ignoring'.
✗
The playbook was run with the --check flag
Why it's wrong here
--check would show 'check mode' not ignoring.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The RHCE exam often tests the distinction between `ignore_errors` and `rescue` blocks, where candidates mistakenly think a rescue block silently ignores errors, but in reality, rescue tasks run only after a failure is explicitly detected and the failed task is still reported as failed.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The output shows task-level ignoring, not a global flag.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `ignore_errors: yes` sets the task's `_ansible_ignore_errors` attribute to `True`, which causes the `TaskResult` object to override the `failed` status to `False` after execution. This is useful in scenarios like checking if a service is running where a failure is acceptable, but it can mask real issues if overused. A subtle behavior is that `ignore_errors` does not prevent the task from being marked as 'failed' in the event system; it only changes the final status reported to the playbook engine.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the EX294 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Manage task execution and roles — This question tests Manage task execution and roles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The task had ignore_errors set to yes — When a task fails in Ansible but the playbook continues execution and shows a 'changed' or 'ok' status instead of 'failed', it indicates that the task has `ignore_errors: yes` set. This directive tells Ansible to treat any failure as a success, allowing the play to proceed without interruption.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A playbook uses a loop to create multiple users. The administrator notices that if one user creation fails, the entire playbook stops. Which directive should be used to continue executing remaining iterations?
medium
A.max_fail_percentage
B.any_errors_fatal
✓ C.ignore_errors
D.failed_when
Why C: Option C is correct because `ignore_errors` is a directive that, when set to `yes` on a task, allows Ansible to continue executing subsequent iterations of a loop even if that specific task fails. This ensures that a failure in creating one user does not halt the entire playbook, as Ansible will record the failure but proceed with the remaining items in the loop.
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Question Discussion
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