diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ntnx_ndb_databases_sanity/tasks/tests.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ntnx_ndb_databases_sanity/tasks/tests.yml
index 6e8240cf..f6229a43 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/ntnx_ndb_databases_sanity/tasks/tests.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ntnx_ndb_databases_sanity/tasks/tests.yml
@@ -274,12 +274,22 @@
 - set_fact:
     db_uuid: "{{result.db_uuid}}"
 
-- name: create properties map
-  set_fact: 
-      properties: "{{ properties | default({}) | combine ({ item['name'] : item['value'] }) }}"
-  loop: "{{result.response.properties}}" 
+- name: Ensure properties is defined
+  set_fact:
+    properties: "{}"
+  when: properties is undefined
+
+- name: Combine properties
+  block:
+    - set_fact:
+        temp_dict: "{ '{{' }} item['name']: item['value'] {{ '}}' }}"
+    - set_fact:
+        properties: "{{ properties | combine(temp_dict) }}"
+  loop: "{{ result.response.properties }}"
   no_log: true
 
+
+
 - name: Creation Status
   assert: 
     that: