diff --git a/roles/os-updates/tasks/upgrade_packages.yaml b/roles/os-updates/tasks/upgrade_packages.yaml
index 8493d5f..9fc6f38 100644
--- a/roles/os-updates/tasks/upgrade_packages.yaml
+++ b/roles/os-updates/tasks/upgrade_packages.yaml
@@ -5,19 +5,18 @@
   notify: 
     - apt cleanup
 
-- name: Check if a kernel update is available
+- name: Check if a kernel update has been installed
   shell: |
-    dpkg -l | grep -E '^ii' | grep 'linux-image-[0-9]' | awk '{print $2}' | sort | tail -n 1
+    dpkg -l | grep -E '^ii' | grep 'linux-image-[0-9]' | awk '{print $2}' | sed 's/linux-image-//g' | sort | tail -n 1
   register: latest_kernel
+  changed_when: false
 
 - name: Check if running kernel matches the latest installed kernel
-  shell: |
-    echo "{{ latest_kernel.stdout }}" | grep -c $(uname -r)
-  register: kernel_match
+  shell: uname -r
+  register: running_kernel
   changed_when: false
-  ignore_errors: true
 
-- name: Mark reboot required if a new kernel is installed
+- name: Determine if reboot is required
   set_fact:
     reboot_required: "yes"
-  when: kernel_match.stdout == "0"
+  when: running_kernel.stdout != latest_kernel.stdout