diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 5e38f63cc9..db10f7c494 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -84,12 +84,13 @@ class Task(object):
 
             # code to allow "with_glob" and to reference a lookup plugin named glob
             elif x.startswith("with_"):
-                # Only a variable, no logic
-                if (isinstance(ds[x], basestring) and
-                        ds[x].startswith('{{') and
-                        ds[x].find('}}') == len(ds[x]) - 2 and
-                        find ('|') == -1):
-                    utils.warning("It is unnecessary to use '{{' in loops, leave variables in loop expressions bare.")
+                if isinstance(ds[x], basestring):
+                    param = ds[x].strip()
+                    # Only a variable, no logic
+                    if (param.startswith('{{') and
+                        param.find('}}') == len(ds[x]) - 2 and
+                        param.find('|') == -1):
+                        utils.warning("It is unnecessary to use '{{' in loops, leave variables in loop expressions bare.")
 
                 plugin_name = x.replace("with_","")
                 if plugin_name in utils.plugins.lookup_loader:
@@ -100,12 +101,13 @@ class Task(object):
                     raise errors.AnsibleError("cannot find lookup plugin named %s for usage in with_%s" % (plugin_name, plugin_name))
 
             elif x in [ 'changed_when', 'failed_when', 'when']:
-                # Only a variable, no logic
-                if (isinstance(ds[x], basestring) and
-                        ds[x].startswith('{{') and
-                        ds[x].find('}}') == len(ds[x]) - 2 and
-                        find ('|') == -1):
-                    utils.warning("It is unnecessary to use '{{' in conditionals, leave variables in loop expressions bare.")
+                if isinstance(ds[x], basestring):
+                    param = ds[x].strip()
+                    # Only a variable, no logic
+                    if (param.startswith('{{') and
+                        param.find('}}') == len(ds[x]) - 2 and
+                        param.find('|') == -1):
+                        utils.warning("It is unnecessary to use '{{' in conditionals, leave variables in loop expressions bare.")
             elif x.startswith("when_"):
                 utils.deprecated("The 'when_' conditional has been removed. Switch to using the regular unified 'when' statements as described on docs.ansible.com.","1.5", removed=True)