"Ensure configured homebrew packages are installed." task fails on MacBook Pro M5 Tahoe 26.6.1

[wbleek]

Hi,🙂 we are trying to fresh setup our new M5 MacBook Pros. This playbook will be the basis for our machines. Thank you!

During the ansible-playbook, the "Ensure configured homebrew packages are installed." task fails. I can't make sense of the error message.

Do you have any ideas?

Cheers
Wolf

ansible-playbook main.yml --ask-become-pass

(...)

TASK [geerlingguy.mac.homebrew : Ensure configured homebrew packages are installed.] ***********************************
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=autoconf) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: autoconf
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest m4 (1.4.21)
        ✔︎ Bottle autoconf (2.73)
        ✔︎ Bottle m4 (1.4.21)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=bash-completion) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: bash-completion
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle bash-completion (1.3_3)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=doxygen) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: doxygen
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest fmt (12.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest spdlog (1.17.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle fmt (12.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle spdlog (1.17.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle doxygen (1.17.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gettext) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gettext
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest json-c (0.19)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libunistring (1.4.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle json-c (0.19)
        ✔︎ Bottle libunistring (1.4.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle gettext (1.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gifsicle) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gifsicle
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle gifsicle (1.96)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=git) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: git
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest pcre2 (10.47_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle pcre2 (10.47_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle git (2.55.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gh) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gh
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle gh (2.97.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=go) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: go
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle go (1.26.5)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gpg) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gpg
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest ca-certificates (2026-07-16)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libtasn1 (4.21.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest gmp (6.3.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libidn2 (2.3.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest nettle (4.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest p11-kit (0.26.5)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libgpg-error (1.61)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libassuan (3.0.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle gmp (6.3.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libtasn1 (4.21.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libidn2 (2.3.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle nettle (4.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest gnutls (3.8.13_2)
        ✔︎ Bottle ca-certificates (2026-07-16)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libksba (1.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libusb (1.0.30)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest npth (1.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle p11-kit (0.26.5)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest pinentry (1.3.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle npth (1.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle libksba (1.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libassuan (3.0.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle pinentry (1.3.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle libgpg-error (1.61)
        ✔︎ Bottle libusb (1.0.30)
        ✔︎ Bottle gnutls (3.8.13_2)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libgcrypt (1.12.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle libgcrypt (1.12.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle readline (8.3.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle gnupg (2.5.21)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest readline (8.3.3)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=httpie) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: httpie
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest mpdecimal (4.0.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest xz (5.8.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest openssl@3 (3.6.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest certifi (2026.7.22)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest lz4 (1.10.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest zstd (1.5.7_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest sqlite (3.53.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest python@3.14 (3.14.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle certifi (2026.7.22)
        ✔︎ Bottle mpdecimal (4.0.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle lz4 (1.10.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle zstd (1.5.7_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle xz (5.8.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle httpie (3.2.4_11)
        ✔︎ Bottle sqlite (3.53.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle python@3.14 (3.14.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle openssl@3 (3.6.3)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=iperf) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: iperf
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle iperf (2.2.1)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=libevent) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: libevent
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle libevent (2.1.13)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=sqlite) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: sqlite
    msg: |-
        Warning: sqlite 3.53.4 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 3.53.4, run:
          brew reinstall sqlite
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=nmap) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: nmap
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest lua (5.5.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libssh2 (1.11.1_4)
        ✔︎ Bottle lua (5.5.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle liblinear (2.50)
        ✔︎ Bottle libssh2 (1.11.1_4)
        ✔︎ Bottle nmap (7.991)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest liblinear (2.50)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=node) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: node
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest ada-url (4.0.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest brotli (1.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest c-ares (1.34.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest icu4c@78 (78.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libnghttp3 (1.18.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libffi (3.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libnghttp2 (1.70.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libngtcp2 (1.25.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest llhttp (9.4.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest hdrhistogram_c (0.11.10)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest merve (1.2.2_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle libnghttp3 (1.18.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle hdrhistogram_c (0.11.10)
        ✔︎ Bottle libngtcp2 (1.25.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libffi (3.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest simdjson (4.6.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle c-ares (1.34.8)
        ✔︎ Bottle libnghttp2 (1.70.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest simdutf (9.0.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle llhttp (9.4.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest nbytes (0.1.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle ada-url (4.0.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle brotli (1.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest uvwasi (0.0.23)
        ✔︎ Bottle nbytes (0.1.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle merve (1.2.2_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle simdutf (9.0.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libuv (1.52.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libuv (1.52.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle uvwasi (0.0.23)
        ✔︎ Bottle simdjson (4.6.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle node (26.7.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle icu4c@78 (78.3)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=nvm) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: nvm
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle nvm (0.40.6)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=php) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: php
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest apr-util (1.6.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libpsl (0.23.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest argon2 (20190702_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest apr (1.7.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest curl (8.21.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libtool (2.6.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest unixodbc (2.3.14)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest freetds (1.5.18)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libpng (1.6.58)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest freetype (2.14.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest jpeg-turbo (3.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libvmaf (3.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest aom (3.14.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle libpsl (0.23.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest fontconfig (2.18.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest dav1d (1.5.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle apr (1.7.6)
        ✔︎ Bottle apr-util (1.6.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest giflib (6.1.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libavif (1.4.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libtiff (4.7.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle freetype (2.14.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest webp (1.6.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest gd (2.3.3_6)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest krb5 (1.22.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle libpng (1.6.58)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libpq (18.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle giflib (6.1.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest net-snmp (5.9.5.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle unixodbc (2.3.14)
        ✔︎ Bottle fontconfig (2.18.3)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libsodium (1.0.22)
        ✔︎ Bottle libtool (2.6.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest oniguruma (6.9.10)
        ✔︎ Bottle libavif (1.4.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle webp (1.6.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest libzip (1.11.4_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle dav1d (1.5.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle jpeg-turbo (3.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle argon2 (20190702_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle libvmaf (3.2.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle gd (2.3.3_6)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest tidy-html5 (5.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest openldap (2.7.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle curl (8.21.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle libzip (1.11.4_1)
        ✔︎ Bottle krb5 (1.22.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle libtiff (4.7.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle libsodium (1.0.22)
        ✔︎ Bottle oniguruma (6.9.10)
        ✔︎ Bottle tidy-html5 (5.8.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle net-snmp (5.9.5.2)
        ✔︎ Bottle openldap (2.7.0)
        ✔︎ Bottle freetds (1.5.18)
        ✔︎ Bottle aom (3.14.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle libpq (18.4)
        ✔︎ Bottle php (8.5.9)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=pngpaste) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: pngpaste
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle pngpaste (0.2.3)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=ssh-copy-id) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: ssh-copy-id
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle ssh-copy-id (10.4p1)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=readline) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: readline
    msg: |-
        Warning: readline 8.3.3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 8.3.3, run:
          brew reinstall readline
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=openssl) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: openssl
    msg: |-
        Warning: openssl@3 3.6.3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 3.6.3, run:
          brew reinstall openssl@3
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=pv) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: pv
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle pv (1.11.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=wget) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: wget
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle wget (1.25.0)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=wrk) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: wrk
    msg: |-
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest openssl@4 (4.0.1)
        ✔︎ Bottle Manifest luajit (2.1.1785763465)
        ✔︎ Bottle wrk (4.2.0_2)
        ✔︎ Bottle luajit (2.1.1785763465)
        ✔︎ Bottle openssl@4 (4.0.1)
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=zsh-history-substring-search) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: zsh-history-substring-search
    msg: ✔︎ Bottle zsh-history-substring-search (1.1.0)

PLAY RECAP *************************************************************************************************************
127.0.0.1                  : ok=17   changed=7    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=16   rescued=0    ignored=0   

[wbleek]

After resetting everything and starting over I get a different, yet similar problem at the same step:

TASK [geerlingguy.mac.homebrew : Ensure configured homebrew packages are installed.] **********************************************************************
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=autoconf) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: autoconf
    msg: |-
        Warning: autoconf 2.73 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.73, run:
          brew reinstall autoconf
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=bash-completion) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: bash-completion
    msg: |-
        Warning: bash-completion 1.3_3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.3_3, run:
          brew reinstall bash-completion
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=doxygen) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: doxygen
    msg: |-
        Warning: doxygen 1.17.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.17.0, run:
          brew reinstall doxygen
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gettext) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gettext
    msg: |-
        Warning: gettext 1.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.0, run:
          brew reinstall gettext
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gifsicle) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gifsicle
    msg: |-
        Warning: gifsicle 1.96 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.96, run:
          brew reinstall gifsicle
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=git) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: git
    msg: |-
        Warning: git 2.55.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.55.0, run:
          brew reinstall git
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gh) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gh
    msg: |-
        Warning: gh 2.97.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.97.0, run:
          brew reinstall gh
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=go) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: go
    msg: |-
        Warning: go 1.26.5 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.26.5, run:
          brew reinstall go
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=gpg) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: gpg
    msg: |-
        Warning: gnupg 2.5.21 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.5.21, run:
          brew reinstall gnupg
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=httpie) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: httpie
    msg: |-
        Warning: httpie 3.2.4_11 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 3.2.4_11, run:
          brew reinstall httpie
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=iperf) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: iperf
    msg: |-
        Warning: iperf 2.2.1 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.2.1, run:
          brew reinstall iperf
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=libevent) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: libevent
    msg: |-
        Warning: libevent 2.1.13 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 2.1.13, run:
          brew reinstall libevent
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=sqlite) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: sqlite
    msg: |-
        Warning: sqlite 3.53.4 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 3.53.4, run:
          brew reinstall sqlite
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=nmap) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: nmap
    msg: |-
        Warning: nmap 7.991 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 7.991, run:
          brew reinstall nmap
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=node) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: node
    msg: |-
        Warning: node 26.7.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 26.7.0, run:
          brew reinstall node
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=nvm) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: nvm
    msg: |-
        Warning: nvm 0.40.6 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 0.40.6, run:
          brew reinstall nvm
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=php) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: php
    msg: |-
        Warning: php 8.5.9 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 8.5.9, run:
          brew reinstall php
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=pngpaste) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: pngpaste
    msg: |-
        Warning: pngpaste 0.2.3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 0.2.3, run:
          brew reinstall pngpaste
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=ssh-copy-id) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: ssh-copy-id
    msg: |-
        Warning: ssh-copy-id 10.5p1 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 10.5p1, run:
          brew reinstall ssh-copy-id
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=readline) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: readline
    msg: |-
        Warning: readline 8.3.3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 8.3.3, run:
          brew reinstall readline
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=openssl) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: openssl
    msg: |-
        Warning: openssl@3 3.6.3 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 3.6.3, run:
          brew reinstall openssl@3
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=pv) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: pv
    msg: |-
        Warning: pv 1.11.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.11.0, run:
          brew reinstall pv
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=wget) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: wget
    msg: |-
        Warning: wget 1.25.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.25.0, run:
          brew reinstall wget
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=wrk) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: wrk
    msg: |-
        Warning: wrk 4.2.0_2 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 4.2.0_2, run:
          brew reinstall wrk
failed: [127.0.0.1] (item=zsh-history-substring-search) => 
    ansible_loop_var: item
    changed: false
    item: zsh-history-substring-search
    msg: |-
        Warning: zsh-history-substring-search 1.1.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
        To reinstall 1.1.0, run:
          brew reinstall zsh-history-substring-search

PLAY RECAP ************************************************************************************************************************************************
127.0.0.1                  : ok=16   changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=17   rescued=0    ignored=0

It seems like the information that there is nothing to update is interpreted as an error.

[wbleek]

This seems to be quite similar
geerlingguy/ansible-collection-mac#128

[geerlingguy]

Yes, also see: #254

My temporary fix:

ansible-galaxy collection install community.general --force

I will close the other issue in favor of this one.