diff --git a/tasks/set_vars.yml b/tasks/set_vars.yml
index c7e67c72..3dc28b29 100644
--- a/tasks/set_vars.yml
+++ b/tasks/set_vars.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 ---
 - name: Ensure ansible_facts used by role
   setup:
-    gather_subset: min
-  when: not ansible_facts.keys() | list |
-    intersect(__kernel_settings_required_facts) ==
-    __kernel_settings_required_facts
+    gather_subset: "{{ __kernel_settings_required_facts_subsets }}"
+  when: __kernel_settings_required_facts |
+    difference(ansible_facts.keys() | list) | length > 0
 
 - name: Set platform/version specific variables
   include_vars: "{{ lookup('first_found', ffparams) }}"
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index 6de6acfd..e5352278 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -13,3 +13,9 @@ __kernel_settings_required_facts:
   - distribution_major_version
   - distribution_version
   - os_family
+
+# the subsets of ansible_facts that need to be gathered in case any of the
+# facts in required_facts is missing; see the documentation of
+# the 'gather_subset' parameter of the 'setup' module
+__kernel_settings_required_facts_subsets: "{{ ['!all', '!min'] +
+  __kernel_settings_required_facts }}"