src_file_dest_file_in_non_existent_dir.yml

- name: Ensure that dest top directory doesn't exist
  file:
    path: '{{ remote_dir }}/{{ dest.split("/")[0] }}'
    state: absent

- name: Copy file, dest is a file in non-existing target directory
  copy:
    src: foo.txt
    dest: '{{ remote_dir }}/{{ dest }}'
  register: copy_result
  ignore_errors: True

- name: Assert copy failed
  assert:
    that:
      - 'copy_result is failed'

- name: Stat dest path
  stat:
    path: '{{ remote_dir }}/{{ dest.split("/")[0] }}'
  register: stat_file_in_dir_result

- name: assert that dest doesn't exist
  assert:
    that:
      - 'not stat_file_in_dir_result.stat.exists'