diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py b/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
index 5465137e4a3..3ab2e289ac1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
@@ -322,14 +322,14 @@ class PlayIterator:
                 # have one recurse into it for the next task. If we're done with the child
                 # state, we clear it and drop back to geting the next task from the list.
                 if state.tasks_child_state:
-                    if state.tasks_child_state.fail_state != self.FAILED_NONE:
+                    (state.tasks_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.tasks_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
+                    if self._check_failed_state(state.tasks_child_state):
                         # failed child state, so clear it and move into the rescue portion
                         state.tasks_child_state = None
                         state.fail_state |= self.FAILED_TASKS
                         state.run_state = self.ITERATING_RESCUE
                     else:
                         # get the next task recursively
-                        (state.tasks_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.tasks_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
                         if task is None or state.tasks_child_state.run_state == self.ITERATING_COMPLETE:
                             # we're done with the child state, so clear it and continue
                             # back to the top of the loop to get the next task
@@ -362,13 +362,13 @@ class PlayIterator:
                 # The process here is identical to ITERATING_TASKS, except instead
                 # we move into the always portion of the block.
                 if state.rescue_child_state:
-                    if state.rescue_child_state.fail_state != self.FAILED_NONE:
+                    (state.rescue_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.rescue_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
+                    if self._check_failed_state(state.rescue_child_state):
                         state.rescue_child_state = None
                         state.fail_state |= self.FAILED_RESCUE
                         state.run_state = self.ITERATING_ALWAYS
                     else:
-                        (state.rescue_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.rescue_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
-                        if task is None:
+                        if task is None or state.rescue_child_state.run_state == self.ITERATING_COMPLETE:
                             state.rescue_child_state = None
                             continue
                 else:
@@ -393,13 +393,13 @@ class PlayIterator:
                 # run state to ITERATING_COMPLETE in the event of any errors, or when we
                 # have hit the end of the list of blocks.
                 if state.always_child_state:
-                    if state.always_child_state.fail_state != self.FAILED_NONE:
+                    (state.always_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.always_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
+                    if self._check_failed_state(state.always_child_state):
                         state.always_child_state = None
                         state.fail_state |= self.FAILED_ALWAYS
                         state.run_state = self.ITERATING_COMPLETE
                     else:
-                        (state.always_child_state, task) = self._get_next_task_from_state(state.always_child_state, host=host, peek=peek)
-                        if task is None:
+                        if task is None or state.always_child_state.run_state == self.ITERATING_COMPLETE:
                             state.always_child_state = None
                 else:
                     if state.cur_always_task >= len(block.always):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
index 750f1540516..cc1f519ca91 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class StrategyModule(StrategyBase):
                 num_rescue += 1
             elif s.run_state == PlayIterator.ITERATING_ALWAYS:
                 num_always += 1
-        display.debug("done counting tasks in each state of execution")
+        display.debug("done counting tasks in each state of execution:\n\tnum_setups: %s\n\tnum_tasks: %s\n\tnum_rescue: %s\n\tnum_always: %s" % (num_setups, num_tasks, num_rescue, num_always))
 
         def _advance_selected_hosts(hosts, cur_block, cur_state):
             '''