diff --git a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/precheck.yml b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/precheck.yml
index 96240ca94d..4f5580f135 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/precheck.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/ceilometer/tasks/precheck.yml
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@
     service_precheck_services: "{{ ceilometer_services }}"
     service_name: "{{ project_name }}"
 
-- name: Checking gnocchi backend for ceilometer
-  fail:
-    msg: "gnocchi is required but not enabled"
+- name: Checking Ceilometer publishers
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - not (enable_ceilometer | bool) or enable_gnocchi | bool or enable_ceilometer_prometheus_pushgateway | bool
+    msg: "At least one Ceilometer publisher must be enabled"
   run_once: True
   changed_when: false
-  when:
-    - enable_ceilometer | bool
-    - not (enable_gnocchi | bool or enable_ceilometer_prometheus_pushgateway | bool)