diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 61fe89b..d8e5017 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -2,17 +2,7 @@
 ---
 # Set up internal variables.
 - name: Set version specific variables
-  include_vars: "{{ lookup('first_found', ffparams) }}"
-  vars:
-    ffparams:
-      files:
-        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}_{{ ansible_facts['distribution_version'] }}.yml"  # yamllint disable-line rule:line-length
-        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}_{{ ansible_facts['distribution_major_version'] }}.yml"  # yamllint disable-line rule:line-length
-        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}.yml"
-        - "{{ ansible_facts['os_family'] }}.yml"
-        - "default.yml"
-      paths:
-        - "{{ role_path }}/vars"
+  include_tasks: set_vars.yml
 
 - name: Include the appropriate provider tasks
   include_tasks: "main-{{ nbde_client_provider }}.yml"
diff --git a/tasks/set_vars.yml b/tasks/set_vars.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..648bf0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/set_vars.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+---
+- name: Ensure ansible_facts used by role
+  setup:
+    gather_subset: min
+  when: not ansible_facts.keys() | list |
+    intersect(__nbde_client_required_facts) ==
+    __nbde_client_required_facts
+
+- name: Set platform/version specific variables
+  include_vars: "{{ lookup('first_found', ffparams) }}"
+  vars:
+    ffparams:
+      files:
+        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}_{{ ansible_facts['distribution_version'] }}.yml"  # yamllint disable-line rule:line-length
+        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}_{{ ansible_facts['distribution_major_version'] }}.yml"  # yamllint disable-line rule:line-length
+        - "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}.yml"
+        - "{{ ansible_facts['os_family'] }}.yml"
+        - "default.yml"
+      paths:
+        - "{{ role_path }}/vars"
diff --git a/tests/setup-snapshot.yml b/tests/setup-snapshot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25a30a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/setup-snapshot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+- hosts: all
+  tasks:
+    - name: Set platform/version specific variables
+      include_role:
+        name: linux-system-roles.nbde_client
+        tasks_from: set_vars.yml
+        public: true
+
+    - name: Install test packages
+      package:
+        name: "{{ __nbde_client_packages }}"
+        state: present
diff --git a/tests/tests_default.yml b/tests/tests_default.yml
index e06c459..4c3cb51 100644
--- a/tests/tests_default.yml
+++ b/tests/tests_default.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 - name: Ensure that the role runs with default parameters
   hosts: all
-
+  gather_facts: false
   roles:
     - linux-system-roles.nbde_client
 
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index 009f09d..2b0cbc2 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -5,4 +5,11 @@
 # Mostly useful when debugging/testing.
 __nbde_client_update_initramfs: yes
 
+# ansible_facts required by the role
+__nbde_client_required_facts:
+  - distribution
+  - distribution_major_version
+  - distribution_version
+  - os_family
+
 # vim:set ts=2 sw=2 et: