diff --git a/roles/2-common/tasks/packages.yml b/roles/2-common/tasks/packages.yml
index de2269746..3c2bb7e44 100644
--- a/roles/2-common/tasks/packages.yml
+++ b/roles/2-common/tasks/packages.yml
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@
 
 - name: Download usbmount -- not in debian-9
   command: wget {{ iiab_download_url }}/usbmount_0.0.14.1_all.deb -P {{ downloads_dir }}
-  when: is_debian and ansible_distribution_major_version == "9"
+  when: is_debian-9
 
 - name: Install usbmount for debian-9
   command: apt install -y {{ downloads_dir }}/usbmount_0.0.14.1_all.deb
-  when: is_debian and ansible_distribution_major_version == "9"
+  when: is_debian-9
 
 - name: Install packages for Debian
   package: name={{ item }}
diff --git a/vars/debian-8.yml b/vars/debian-8.yml
index 983d63db6..7f301937d 100644
--- a/vars/debian-8.yml
+++ b/vars/debian-8.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-is_debian: True
 is_debuntu: True
+is_debian: True
+is_debian-8: True
 dns_service: bind9
 dns_user: bind
 proxy: squid3
diff --git a/vars/debian-9.yml b/vars/debian-9.yml
index 6f412ac3e..3d7baddbb 100644
--- a/vars/debian-9.yml
+++ b/vars/debian-9.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-is_debian: True
 is_debuntu: True
+is_debian: True
+is_debian-9: True
 dns_service: bind9
 dns_user: bind
 proxy: squid
diff --git a/vars/default_vars.yml b/vars/default_vars.yml
index eadc66cc0..a3397356b 100644
--- a/vars/default_vars.yml
+++ b/vars/default_vars.yml
@@ -311,10 +311,15 @@ xovis_chart_heading: "My School: Usage Data Visualization"
 
 # Platforms - turn all off and let <OS>.yml turn on as appropriate
 nodocs: False
-is_rpi: False
-is_debian: False
+
+# wide to narrow
 is_debuntu: False
 is_ubuntu: False
+is_debian: False
+is_debian-9: False
+is_debian-8: False
+is_rpi: False
+
 is_redhat: False
 is_fedora: False
 is_centos: False