diff --git a/puppet/services/disabled/ceilometer-expirer-disabled.yaml b/puppet/services/disabled/ceilometer-expirer-disabled.yaml
index 7be394b658..7110afaa68 100644
--- a/puppet/services/disabled/ceilometer-expirer-disabled.yaml
+++ b/puppet/services/disabled/ceilometer-expirer-disabled.yaml
@@ -36,3 +36,6 @@ outputs:
         - name: Remove ceilometer expirer cron tab on upgrade
           tags: step1
           shell: '/usr/bin/crontab -u ceilometer -r'
+          register: remove_ceilometer_expirer_crontab
+          failed_when: remove_ceilometer_expirer_crontab.rc != 0 and remove_ceilometer_expirer_crontab.stderr != "no crontab for ceilometer"
+          changed_when: remove_ceilometer_expirer_crontab.stderr != "no crontab for ceilometer"