diff --git a/awx/playbooks/project_update.yml b/awx/playbooks/project_update.yml
index 125b5ef312b5..c6b57c3e4457 100644
--- a/awx/playbooks/project_update.yml
+++ b/awx/playbooks/project_update.yml
@@ -214,38 +214,43 @@
 
     - name: Fetch galaxy roles from requirements.(yml/yaml)
       ansible.builtin.command: >
-        ansible-galaxy role install -r {{ item }}
+        ansible-galaxy role install -r {{ req_file }}
         --roles-path {{ projects_root }}/.__awx_cache/{{ local_path }}/stage/requirements_roles
         {{ ' -' + 'v' * ansible_verbosity if ansible_verbosity else '' }}
       args:
         chdir: "{{ project_path | quote }}"
       register: galaxy_result
-      with_fileglob:
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/roles/requirements.yaml"
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/roles/requirements.yml"
+      vars:
+        req_file: "{{ req_candidates |first_found }}"
+        req_candidates:
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/roles/requirements.yml"
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/roles/requirements.yaml"
       changed_when: "'was installed successfully' in galaxy_result.stdout"
       environment: "{{ galaxy_task_env }}"
-      when: roles_enabled | bool
+      when: roles_enabled | bool and req_file is file
       tags:
         - install_roles
 
     - name: Fetch galaxy collections from collections/requirements.(yml/yaml)
       ansible.builtin.command: >
-        ansible-galaxy collection install -r {{ item }}
+        ansible-galaxy collection install -r {{ req_file }}
         --collections-path {{ projects_root }}/.__awx_cache/{{ local_path }}/stage/requirements_collections
         {{ ' -' + 'v' * ansible_verbosity if ansible_verbosity else '' }}
       args:
         chdir: "{{ project_path | quote }}"
       register: galaxy_collection_result
-      with_fileglob:
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/collections/requirements.yaml"
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/collections/requirements.yml"
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/requirements.yaml"
-        - "{{ project_path | quote }}/requirements.yml"
+      vars:
+        req_file: "{{ req_candidates|first_found }}"
+        req_candidates:
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/collections/requirements.yml"
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/collections/requirements.yaml"
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/requirements.yml"
+          - "{{ project_path | quote }}/requirements.yaml"
       changed_when: "'Installing ' in galaxy_collection_result.stdout"
       environment: "{{ additional_collections_env | combine(galaxy_task_env) }}"
       when:
         - "ansible_version.full is version_compare('2.9', '>=')"
         - collections_enabled | bool
+        - req_file is file
       tags:
         - install_collections