diff --git a/tasks/fetch.yml b/tasks/fetch.yml
index befb6d6..bc6b435 100644
--- a/tasks/fetch.yml
+++ b/tasks/fetch.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 - name: fetch ssh host key
   command:
-    cat "{{ root_target_directory }}/etc/ssh/ssh_host_{{ ssh_host_key_type }}_key.pub"
+    cat "{{ root_target_directory | default("") }}/etc/ssh/ssh_host_{{ ssh_host_key_type }}_key.pub"
   register: _ssh_host_key_cat_result
   changed_when: false
 
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 8ff79a8..3fb4e27 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -10,12 +10,10 @@
     ssh_host_key_state is defined and
     ssh_host_key_state == 'setup'
 
-# TODO fail when root_target_directory is not defined
 - include: fetch.yml
   when:
-    root_target_directory is defined and (
     not ssh_host_key_state is defined or
-    ssh_host_key_state == 'fetched' )
+    ssh_host_key_state == 'fetched'
 
 - include: save.yml