diff --git a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
index 86b1e28..13c5e03 100644
--- a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
+++ b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@
       delegate_to: localhost
       set_fact:
         ssid_strict_count: "{{ (ssid_strict_count_raw.stdout | default('0')) | trim | int }}"
-        ssid_strict_ok: "{{ ((ssid_strict_count_raw.stdout | default('0')) | trim | int) > 0 and (((ssid_strict_count_raw.stdout | default('0')) | trim | int) % 2 == 0) }}"
+        ssid_strict_ok: "{{ ssid_strict_count > 0 and (ssid_strict_count % 2 == 0) }}"
 
     - name: Dev1 | Count SSID lines (fallback exclude bssid/auto_ssid/SC/backhaul)
       when: not ssid_strict_ok | default(false)
@@ -459,17 +459,21 @@
       failed_when: false
       ignore_errors: true
 
+    - name: Dev1 | Normalize fallback SSID count
+      when: not ssid_strict_ok | default(false)
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      set_fact:
+        ssid_fallback_count: "{{ (ssid_fallback_count_raw.stdout | default('0')) | trim | int }}"
+
     - name: Dev1 | Compute final SSID count
       delegate_to: localhost
-      when:
-        - (ssid_strict_count is defined) or (ssid_fallback_count is defined)
       set_fact:
         ssid_final_count: >-
           {{
-            (strict_ok | default(false))
+            (ssid_strict_ok | default(false))
             | ternary(
-                (ssid_strict_count.stdout | default('0') | int) // 2,
-                (ssid_fallback_count.stdout | default('0') | int) // 2
+                ssid_strict_count // 2,
+                (ssid_fallback_count | default(0)) // 2
               )
           }}
 
@@ -477,11 +481,12 @@
       delegate_to: localhost
       debug:
         msg:
-          - "strict_ok={{ strict_ok | default(false) }}"
-          - "strict_count={{ ssid_strict_count.stdout | default('n/a') }}"
-          - "fallback_count={{ ssid_fallback_count.stdout | default('n/a') }}"
+          - "ssid_strict_ok={{ ssid_strict_ok | default(false) }}"
+          - "ssid_strict_count={{ ssid_strict_count | default('n/a') }}"
+          - "ssid_fallback_count={{ ssid_fallback_count | default('n/a') }}"
           - "ssid_final_count={{ ssid_final_count | default('n/a') }}"
 
+
     - name: Dev1 | Build multissidfix value
       delegate_to: localhost
       when: ssid_final_count is defined