diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index 269aaf25af3..400ca7bf657 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ class Play(object):
                     if items is None:
                         items = [ '' ]
                     for item in items:
-                        t = Task(self,y)
                         mv = self.vars.copy()
                         mv.update(task_vars)
                         mv['item'] = item