diff --git a/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml b/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
index d926c134a..137210a73 100644
--- a/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
+++ b/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@
       - sshd
       - openvpn
       - admin_console
-      - nginx
       - apache
       - squid
       - dansguardian
diff --git a/roles/3-base-server/tasks/main.yml b/roles/3-base-server/tasks/main.yml
index b620fce37..4b8b536e4 100644
--- a/roles/3-base-server/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/3-base-server/tasks/main.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 - name: NGINX
   include_role:
     name: nginx
-  when: nginx_install | bool
 
 - name: WWW_BASE (WWW_OPTIONS should be installed later)
   include_role:
diff --git a/vars/default_vars.yml b/vars/default_vars.yml
index 9ed1bc98f..f6a7d77a1 100644
--- a/vars/default_vars.yml
+++ b/vars/default_vars.yml
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ mysql_enabled: True
 
 # 2019-01-13: IIAB's use of NGINX is still evolving -- please review this
 # evolving doc: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/blob/master/roles/nginx/README.md
+# 2020-09-21: removed install |bool in stage 3, not optional and has no effect
 nginx_install: True
 nginx_enabled: True
 nginx_port: 80