diff --git a/etherpad/tasks/main.yml b/etherpad/tasks/main.yml
index b060a0b391158ce4b896fbb77ce066efe4207b6e..d23bdf640088584412452f1b0e42e903025dd42b 100644
--- a/etherpad/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/etherpad/tasks/main.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     state: directory
     owner: etherpad
     group: etherpad
-    mode: 0755
+    mode: '0755'
 
 - name: ensure we have the etherpad software
   git:
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     state: directory
     owner: root
     group: etherpad
-    mode: 0750
+    mode: '0750'
 
 - name: ensure we have a mysql database for the etherpad
   mysql_db:
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
     dest: "/etc/etherpad/{{item.name}}-settings.json"
     owner: root
     group: etherpad
-    mode: 0640
+    mode: '0640'
   register: etherpad_config
   with_items: "{{etherpads}}"
   notify: restart etherpad
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
     dest: /etc/etherpad/{{item.name}}-apikey.txt
     owner: root
     group: etherpad
-    mode: 0640
+    mode: '0640'
     force: false
   with_items: "{{etherpads}}"
   no_log: true
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
     dest: /etc/systemd/system/etherpad@.service
     owner: root
     group: root
-    mode: 0644
+    mode: '0644'
   notify: reload systemd daemons
 
 - meta: flush_handlers