diff --git a/files/ansible-playbooks/update-indoor222-r6820.yml b/files/ansible-playbooks/update-indoor222-r6820.yml
index e6a9894..53c0597 100644
--- a/files/ansible-playbooks/update-indoor222-r6820.yml
+++ b/files/ansible-playbooks/update-indoor222-r6820.yml
@@ -1456,6 +1456,7 @@
         reboot_applied_cf: "{{ (dev2_reboot_sched is defined) and (dev2_reboot_sched.rc is defined) and ((dev2_reboot_sched.rc | int) == 0) }}"
       changed_when: false
 
+
     - name: Scheduler mode set action_state waiting when reboot initiated
       when: is_run_by_effective == 'scheduler' and (reboot_applied_cf | default(false))
       delegate_to: localhost
@@ -1479,6 +1480,7 @@
             'task_add1': 'action_state',
             'task_result': 'waiting'
           } | to_json }}"
+          payload_encoding: "string"   # <-- ADD THIS
 
     - name: Scheduler mode publish action_restart_timestamp custom field to control queue
       when: is_run_by_effective == 'scheduler' and (reboot_applied_cf | default(false))