diff --git a/shared/templates/sysctl/ansible.template b/shared/templates/sysctl/ansible.template
index 435ec7fd229a..bdcc6be51d09 100644
--- a/shared/templates/sysctl/ansible.template
+++ b/shared/templates/sysctl/ansible.template
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 {{%- if sysctl_remediate_drop_in_file != "true" %}}
 {{#- sysctl module manages only last entry #}}
     before: >-
-      .*\n{{{ setsysctlvar_rx | trim('^') }}}
+      .*\n{{{ setsysctlvar_rx.lstrip('^') }}}
 {{%- endif %}}
 {{%- if SYSCTLVAL is none or SYSCTLVAL is not string %}}