diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index e70bf6c91f..beceef1848 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -463,6 +463,10 @@ class TaskExecutor:
                     cond.when = self._task.failed_when
                     failed_when_result = cond.evaluate_conditional(templar, vars_copy)
                     result['failed_when_result'] = result['failed'] = failed_when_result
+                else:
+                    failed_when_result = False
+                    result['failed'] = result.get('failed', False)
+                return failed_when_result
 
             if 'ansible_facts' in result:
                 vars_copy.update(result['ansible_facts'])
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index bed77bd746..8ee440386b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
 
     _any_errors_fatal     = FieldAttribute(isa='bool')
     _async                = FieldAttribute(isa='int', default=0)
-    _changed_when         = FieldAttribute(isa='list')
+    _changed_when         = FieldAttribute(isa='list', default=[])
     _delay                = FieldAttribute(isa='int', default=5)
     _delegate_to          = FieldAttribute(isa='string')
     _delegate_facts       = FieldAttribute(isa='bool', default=False)
-    _failed_when          = FieldAttribute(isa='list')
+    _failed_when          = FieldAttribute(isa='list', default=[])
     _first_available_file = FieldAttribute(isa='list')
     _loop                 = FieldAttribute(isa='string', private=True)
     _loop_args            = FieldAttribute(isa='list', private=True)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
     _poll                 = FieldAttribute(isa='int')
     _register             = FieldAttribute(isa='string')
     _retries              = FieldAttribute(isa='int', default=3)
-    _until                = FieldAttribute(isa='list')
+    _until                = FieldAttribute(isa='list', default=[])
 
     def __init__(self, block=None, role=None, task_include=None):
         ''' constructors a task, without the Task.load classmethod, it will be pretty blank '''