diff --git a/roles/download/defaults/main.yml b/roles/download/defaults/main.yml
index 6fc922563..c04019ebb 100644
--- a/roles/download/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/download/defaults/main.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ skip_downloads: false
 
 # Optionally skip kubeadm images download
 skip_kubeadm_images: false
+kubeadm_images: {}
 
 # if this is set to true will only download files once. Doesn't work
 # on Container Linux by CoreOS unless the download_localhost is true and localhost
diff --git a/roles/download/tasks/main.yml b/roles/download/tasks/main.yml
index ca702a13a..30b4ced1c 100644
--- a/roles/download/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/download/tasks/main.yml
@@ -36,16 +36,6 @@
     - download
     - upload
 
-- name: download | Create kubeadm_images variable if it is absent
-  set_fact:
-    kubeadm_images: {}
-  when:
-    - kubeadm_images is not defined
-  tags:
-    - download
-    - upload
-    - facts
-
 - name: download | Download files / images
   include_tasks: "{{ include_file }}"
   with_dict: "{{ downloads | combine(kubeadm_images) }}"