diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 6d3362a..6c3754d 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -121,3 +121,11 @@ network_packages: "{{
     __network_provider_setup[network_provider]['packages'] }}"
 network_service_name: "{{
     __network_provider_setup[network_provider]['service_name'] }}"
+
+# ansible_facts required by the role
+__network_required_facts:
+  - distribution
+  - distribution_major_version
+  - distribution_version
+  - os_family
+  - python
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 4e94d5c..78881f7 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # get service facts, used in defaults/main.yml
 ---
+- name: Ensure ansible_facts used by role
+  setup:
+    gather_subset: min
+  when: not ansible_facts.keys() | list |
+    intersect(__network_required_facts) == __network_required_facts
+  no_log: true
+
 - name: Check which services are running
   service_facts:
   no_log: true
diff --git a/tests/tests_default.yml b/tests/tests_default.yml
index e196314..534c634 100644
--- a/tests/tests_default.yml
+++ b/tests/tests_default.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 ---
 - name: Test executing the role with default parameters
   hosts: all
+  gather_facts: false
   roles:
     - linux-system-roles.network
   tasks: