diff --git a/IM/ansible_utils/ansible_launcher.py b/IM/ansible_utils/ansible_launcher.py
index 8ed588141..6981a4a90 100755
--- a/IM/ansible_utils/ansible_launcher.py
+++ b/IM/ansible_utils/ansible_launcher.py
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ def get_play_prereqs_2(self, options):
 
         variable_manager = VariableManager()
         variable_manager.extra_vars = self.extra_vars
+        variable_manager.options_vars = {'ansible_version': self.version_info(ansible_version)}
 
         # Add this to avoid the Ansible bug:  no host vars as host is not in inventory
         # In version 2.0.1 it must be fixed
@@ -186,9 +187,30 @@ def get_play_prereqs_2_4(self, options):
         # the code, ensuring a consistent view of global variables
         variable_manager = VariableManager(loader=loader, inventory=inventory)
         variable_manager.extra_vars = self.extra_vars
+        variable_manager.options_vars = {'ansible_version': self.version_info(ansible_version)}
 
         return loader, inventory, variable_manager
 
+    def version_info(self, ansible_version_string):
+        ''' return full ansible version info '''
+        ansible_ver = ansible_version_string.split()[0]
+        ansible_versions = ansible_ver.split('.')
+        for counter in range(len(ansible_versions)):
+            if ansible_versions[counter] == "":
+                ansible_versions[counter] = 0
+            try:
+                ansible_versions[counter] = int(ansible_versions[counter])
+            except:
+                pass
+        if len(ansible_versions) < 3:
+            for counter in range(len(ansible_versions), 3):
+                ansible_versions.append(0)
+        return {'string': ansible_version_string.strip(),
+                'full': ansible_ver,
+                'major': ansible_versions[0],
+                'minor': ansible_versions[1],
+                'revision': ansible_versions[2]}
+
     def launch_playbook_v2(self):
         ''' run ansible-playbook operations v2.X'''
         # create parser for CLI options
diff --git a/test/files/test.radl b/test/files/test.radl
index fcdc88d5f..c192076fb 100644
--- a/test/files/test.radl
+++ b/test/files/test.radl
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ configure test (
      - easy_install: name=jmespath
     tasks:
       - debug: msg="NODENAME = {{NODENAME}}"
+      - debug: msg="VERSION = {{ansible_version.major}}"
       - shell:  test -d "/mnt/disk/lost+found"
 
 @end