diff --git a/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
index a6f7b3c099..20cb58adeb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
@@ -329,10 +329,11 @@ class VariableManager:
 
         # special case for the 'environment' magic variable, as someone
         # may have set it as a variable and we don't want to stomp on it
-        if task and 'environment' not in all_vars:
-            all_vars['environment'] = task.environment
-        else:
-            display.warning("The variable 'environment' appears to be used already, which is also used internally for environment variables set on the task/block/play. You should use a different variable name to avoid conflicts with this internal variable")
+        if task:
+            if  'environment' not in all_vars:
+                all_vars['environment'] = task.environment
+            else:
+                display.warning("The variable 'environment' appears to be used already, which is also used internally for environment variables set on the task/block/play. You should use a different variable name to avoid conflicts with this internal variable")
 
         # if we have a task and we're delegating to another host, figure out the
         # variables for that host now so we don't have to rely on hostvars later