diff --git a/branding/tasks/main.yml b/branding/tasks/main.yml
index d3e4f981f9aaa852313bbdaa2fb9f6513fcec07f..a4763971c296e8f7a743ee491918597e355e821f 100644
--- a/branding/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/branding/tasks/main.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     mode: '0644'
   when:
     - branding_motd is defined
-    - branding_motd|bool
+    - branding_motd|string != ''  # noqa 602
   tags:
     - branding
     - shell
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     mode: '0644'
   when:
     - branding_issuenet is defined
-    - branding_issuenet|bool
+    - branding_issuenet|string != ''  # noqa 602
   tags:
     - branding
     - shell