diff --git a/tasks/sysctl.yml b/tasks/sysctl.yml
index aacce35cd..1d6ed6fc4 100644
--- a/tasks/sysctl.yml
+++ b/tasks/sysctl.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
     owner: 'root'
     group: 'root'
     mode: '0440'
-    state: file
+    state: touch
+    modification_time: preserve
+    access_time: preserve
 
 - name: set Daemon umask, do config for rhel-family | NSA 2.2.4.1
   template: