diff --git a/roles/motd/tasks/main.yml b/roles/motd/tasks/main.yml
index bbe9fb6..4387423 100644
--- a/roles/motd/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/motd/tasks/main.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
       owner: root
       group: root
       mode: +x
-    when: description
+    when: description is defined and description | length > 0
 
   - name: check if help-text motd exists
     stat: