diff --git a/tasks/development.yml b/tasks/development.yml
index d259e0e..1a9ee82 100644
--- a/tasks/development.yml
+++ b/tasks/development.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 - name: install globally required tools
   npm: name={{ item }} state=present registry=http://registry.npmjs.org/
        path="{{ local_dev_setup.npm_home }}" global=yes
-  with_items: globally_installed_tools
+  with_items: "{{ globally_installed_tools }}"
 
 - name: add binaries to local path
   lineinfile: state=present dest="{{ local_dev_setup.user_home }}/.bash_profile"
diff --git a/tasks/nodejs.yml b/tasks/nodejs.yml
index 5e30f49..9c7bfcb 100644
--- a/tasks/nodejs.yml
+++ b/tasks/nodejs.yml
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@
 - name: install globally required tools
   npm: name={{ item }} global=yes state=present registry=http://registry.npmjs.org/
   when: local_development.enabled == false
-  with_items: globally_installed_tools
+  with_items: "{{ globally_installed_tools }}"