diff --git a/group_vars/all/common.yml b/group_vars/all/common.yml
index b89dbf0ab1cd957e8b256e13bcee5fd8a8a3dec2..56a6bf8708642e1f99ca0f558309c47996f9ae93 100644
--- a/group_vars/all/common.yml
+++ b/group_vars/all/common.yml
@@ -6,3 +6,7 @@ ansible_python_interpreter: /usr/bin/python3
 
 zabbix_agent_templates:
   - Template OS Linux
+
+# this is used by the maintenance role to get the ip address
+# of the machine running the playbook
+maintenance_remote_machine: "{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_env'].SSH_CLIENT.split(' ')[0] }}"