diff --git a/molecule/centos7/destroy.yml b/molecule/centos7/destroy.yml
index b78d10c..0037b35 100644
--- a/molecule/centos7/destroy.yml
+++ b/molecule/centos7/destroy.yml
@@ -6,16 +6,9 @@
   no_log: "{{ molecule_no_log }}"
   tasks:
     - name: Populate the instance config
-      block:
-        - name: Populate instance config from file
-          set_fact:
-            instance_conf: "{{ lookup('file', molecule_instance_config) | molecule_from_yaml }}"
-            skip_instances: false
-      rescue:
-        - name: Populate instance config when file missing
-          set_fact:
-            instance_conf: {}
-            skip_instances: true
+      set_fact:
+        instance_conf_file: "{{ lookup('file', molecule_instance_config, errors='ignore') | from_yaml }}"
+        instance_conf: "{{ instance_conf_file | default([]) }}"
 
     - name: Destroy molecule instance(s)
       hcloud_server:
@@ -24,7 +17,6 @@
         state: absent
       register: server
       loop: "{{ instance_conf }}"
-      when: not skip_instances
       async: 7200
       poll: 0
 
@@ -61,9 +53,7 @@
       hcloud_ssh_key:
         name: "{{ instance_conf[0].ssh_key_name }}"
         state: absent
-      when:
-        - not skip_instances
-        - (instance_conf | default([])) | length > 0 # must contain at least one instance
+      when: (instance_conf | default([])) | length > 0
 
     # Mandatory configuration for Molecule to function.
 
diff --git a/molecule/centos8/destroy.yml b/molecule/centos8/destroy.yml
index b78d10c..0037b35 100644
--- a/molecule/centos8/destroy.yml
+++ b/molecule/centos8/destroy.yml
@@ -6,16 +6,9 @@
   no_log: "{{ molecule_no_log }}"
   tasks:
     - name: Populate the instance config
-      block:
-        - name: Populate instance config from file
-          set_fact:
-            instance_conf: "{{ lookup('file', molecule_instance_config) | molecule_from_yaml }}"
-            skip_instances: false
-      rescue:
-        - name: Populate instance config when file missing
-          set_fact:
-            instance_conf: {}
-            skip_instances: true
+      set_fact:
+        instance_conf_file: "{{ lookup('file', molecule_instance_config, errors='ignore') | from_yaml }}"
+        instance_conf: "{{ instance_conf_file | default([]) }}"
 
     - name: Destroy molecule instance(s)
       hcloud_server:
@@ -24,7 +17,6 @@
         state: absent
       register: server
       loop: "{{ instance_conf }}"
-      when: not skip_instances
       async: 7200
       poll: 0
 
@@ -61,9 +53,7 @@
       hcloud_ssh_key:
         name: "{{ instance_conf[0].ssh_key_name }}"
         state: absent
-      when:
-        - not skip_instances
-        - (instance_conf | default([])) | length > 0 # must contain at least one instance
+      when: (instance_conf | default([])) | length > 0
 
     # Mandatory configuration for Molecule to function.