diff --git a/roles/hdfs/common/templates/dfs.exclude.j2 b/roles/hdfs/common/templates/dfs.exclude.j2
index 74c31d83..a14a4476 100644
--- a/roles/hdfs/common/templates/dfs.exclude.j2
+++ b/roles/hdfs/common/templates/dfs.exclude.j2
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-{% for dn in hdfs_datanodes_decommission %}
+{% for dn in hdfs_datanodes_decommission | default([]) %}
 {{ dn }}
 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/roles/yarn/common/templates/yarn.exclude.j2 b/roles/yarn/common/templates/yarn.exclude.j2
index 656a54ce..a3cb5b2b 100644
--- a/roles/yarn/common/templates/yarn.exclude.j2
+++ b/roles/yarn/common/templates/yarn.exclude.j2
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-{% for nm in yarn_nodemanagers_decommission %}
+{% for nm in yarn_nodemanagers_decommission | default([]) %}
 {{ nm }}
 {% endfor %}