diff --git a/.github/workflows/mysql_hardening.yml b/.github/workflows/mysql_hardening.yml
index 906c4dbc..a62cd30b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mysql_hardening.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mysql_hardening.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
 
+      - name: Downgrade Ansible for Rocky 8 tests
+        run: |
+          pip install "ansible-core<2.17"
+        working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
+        if: matrix.molecule_distro == 'rocky8'
+
       # that was a hard one to fix. robert did it thankfully
       # https://github.com/robertdebock/ansible-role-mysql/commit/7562e99099b06282391ab7ed102b393a0406d212
       - name: disable apparmor on debian systems
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nginx_hardening.yml b/.github/workflows/nginx_hardening.yml
index 2ce75d16..67fc8fd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nginx_hardening.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nginx_hardening.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
 
+      - name: Downgrade Ansible for Rocky 8 tests
+        run: |
+          pip install "ansible-core<2.17"
+        working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
+        if: matrix.molecule_distro == 'rocky8'
+
       # Molecule has problems detecting the proper location for installing roles
       # https://github.com/ansible/molecule/issues/3806
       # we do not set a custom role path, but the automatically determined install path used is not compatible with the location molecule expects the role
diff --git a/.github/workflows/os_hardening.yml b/.github/workflows/os_hardening.yml
index 1ca0ff67..57659400 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/os_hardening.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/os_hardening.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
 
+      - name: Downgrade Ansible for Rocky 8 tests
+        run: |
+          pip install "ansible-core<2.17"
+        working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
+        if: matrix.molecule_distro == 'rocky8'
+
       - name: Test with molecule
         run: |
           if [ "$MOLECULE_DISTRO" = "opensuse_tumbleweed" ]; then
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening.yml b/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening.yml
index 47e54657..ccfe66cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
 
+      - name: Downgrade Ansible for Rocky 8 tests
+        run: |
+          pip install "ansible-core<2.17"
+        working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
+        if: matrix.molecule_distro == 'rocky8'
+
       - name: Test with molecule
         run: |
           if [ "$MOLECULE_DISTRO" = "opensuse_tumbleweed" ]; then
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening_custom_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening_custom_tests.yml
index 63de7d4f..7ab27fc3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening_custom_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ssh_hardening_custom_tests.yml
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
 
+      - name: Downgrade Ansible for Rocky 8 tests
+        run: |
+          pip install "ansible-core<2.17"
+        working-directory: ansible_collections/devsec/hardening
+        if: matrix.molecule_distro == 'rocky8'
+
       - name: Test with molecule
         run: |
           if [ "$MOLECULE_DISTRO" = "opensuse_tumbleweed" ]; then
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 3063bdda..6a01cb70 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 molecule
 molecule-plugins[docker]
 yamllint
-ansible-core==2.16.5
+ansible-core==2.17.2
 ansible-lint
 docker
 flake8