diff --git a/molecule/highavailability/playbook-dqlite.yml b/molecule/highavailability/playbook-dqlite.yml
index 786caf7..e52a775 100644
--- a/molecule/highavailability/playbook-dqlite.yml
+++ b/molecule/highavailability/playbook-dqlite.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   become: true
   vars:
     molecule_is_test: true
+    k3s_release_version: v1.18.2+k3s1
     k3s_dqlite_datastore: true
     k3s_secrets_encryption: true
     k3s_use_experimental: true
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index e5d6678..10646b3 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@
     success_msg: "k3s_cluster_state is valid."
   when: k3s_cluster_state is defined
 
-- import_tasks: state-{{ (k3s_cluster_state | lower) | default('installed') }}.yml
+- include_tasks: state-{{ (k3s_cluster_state | lower) | default('installed') }}.yml
diff --git a/tasks/state-installed.yml b/tasks/state-installed.yml
index 011e520..109ae53 100644
--- a/tasks/state-installed.yml
+++ b/tasks/state-installed.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ---
 
+- import_tasks: validate/check-environment.yml
+
 - import_tasks: build/preconfigure-k3s.yml
 
 - import_tasks: build/get-version.yml
diff --git a/tasks/validate/check-environment.yml b/tasks/validate/check-environment.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0eb28b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/validate/check-environment.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+
+- name: Check to see if jmespath is installed
+  command: echo "{{ (hostvars | json_query('*.k3s_control_node')) }}"
+  register: k3s_check_jmespath
+  changed_when: false
diff --git a/tasks/validate/check-variables.yml b/tasks/validate/check-variables.yml
index 3fab225..b9b26a7 100644
--- a/tasks/validate/check-variables.yml
+++ b/tasks/validate/check-variables.yml
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
 - name: Check k3s_flannel_backend 'host-gw' configuration against k3s version
   assert:
     that:
-      - (k3s_release_version | replace('v', '')) is version_compare('1.16.9', '>=')
+      - (k3s_release_version | replace('v', '')) is version_compare('1.17.2', '>=')
     success_msg: "host-gw flannel backend supported in {{ k3s_release_version }}"
     fail_msg: "host-gw flannel backend is not supported in {{ k3s_release_version }}"
   when: k3s_flannel_backend is defined and k3s_flannel_backend == 'host-gw'
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 - name: Check k3s_secrets_encryption against k3s version
   assert:
     that:
-      - (k3s_release_version | replace('v', '')) is version_compare('1.16.9', '>=')
+      - (k3s_release_version | replace('v', '')) is version_compare('1.17.4', '>=')
     success_msg: "Secrets encryption at rest supported in {{ k3s_release_version }}"
     fail_msg: "Secrets encryption at rest is not supported in {{ k3s_release_version }}"
   when: k3s_secrets_encryption is defined and k3s_secrets_encryption