diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_base.py b/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_base.py
index 5fbc932c3..004ddf090 100644
--- a/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_base.py
+++ b/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_base.py
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ class TripleoBase(StrategyBase):
         self._has_hosts_cache_all = False
 
     def _print(self, msg, host=None, level=1):
+        # host needs to be a string or bad things happen. LP#1904917
+        if host and not isinstance(host, str):
+            host = None
         display.verbose(msg, host=host, caplevel=level)
 
     def _debug(self, msg, host=None):
diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_free.py b/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_free.py
index 937369582..366f74fbd 100644
--- a/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_free.py
+++ b/tripleo_ansible/ansible_plugins/strategy/tripleo_free.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class StrategyModule(BASE.TripleoBase):
 
     def _advance_host(self, host, task):
         """Advance the host's task as necessary"""
-        self._debug('_advance_host {}'.format(host), host)
+        self._debug('_advance_host {}'.format(host))
         host_name = host.get_name()
 
         # build get_vars call params