diff --git a/handlers/main.yml b/handlers/main.yml
index aa746f0..ee37b75 100644
--- a/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/handlers/main.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 - name: restart elasticsearch
   service: name={{instance_init_script | basename}} state=restarted enabled=yes
-  when: es_restart_on_change and es_start_service and not elasticsearch_started.changed and ((plugin_installed is defined and plugin_installed.changed) or (elasticsearch_install_from_repo.changed or elasticsearch_install_from_package.changed))
+  when: es_restart_on_change and es_start_service and not elasticsearch_started.changed and ((plugin_installed is defined and plugin_installed.changed) or (xpack_state.changed) or (elasticsearch_install_from_repo.changed or elasticsearch_install_from_package.changed))
 
 - name: load-native-realms
   include: ./handlers/shield/elasticsearch-shield-native.yml
diff --git a/tasks/elasticsearch-plugins.yml b/tasks/elasticsearch-plugins.yml
index 894533d..826ae08 100644
--- a/tasks/elasticsearch-plugins.yml
+++ b/tasks/elasticsearch-plugins.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
   with_items: "{{ installed_plugins.stdout_lines }}"
   when: es_plugins_reinstall and installed_plugins.stdout_lines | length > 0 and not 'No plugin detected' in installed_plugins.stdout_lines[0]
   notify: restart elasticsearch
+  register: plugin_installed
   environment:
     CONF_DIR: "{{ conf_dir }}"
     ES_INCLUDE: "{{ instance_default_file }}"
@@ -46,4 +47,5 @@
 
 #Set permissions on plugins directory
 - name: Set Plugin Directory Permissions
-  file: state=directory path={{ es_home }}/plugins owner={{ es_user }} group={{ es_group }} recurse=yes
\ No newline at end of file
+  file: state=directory path={{ es_home }}/plugins owner={{ es_user }} group={{ es_group }} recurse=yes
+  when: es_enable_xpack
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/xpack/elasticsearch-xpack.yml b/tasks/xpack/elasticsearch-xpack.yml
index d779768..5ce2a27 100644
--- a/tasks/xpack/elasticsearch-xpack.yml
+++ b/tasks/xpack/elasticsearch-xpack.yml
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
 - name: Remove license plugin
   command: >
     {{es_home}}/bin/plugin remove license
-  register: license_change
-  failed_when: "'ERROR' in license.stdout"
-  changed_when: license_change.rc == 1
+  register: xpack_state
+  failed_when: "'ERROR' in xpack_state.stdout"
+  changed_when: xpack_state.rc == 0
   when: license_installed.rc == 0 and not es_enable_xpack
   notify: restart elasticsearch
   environment:
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@
 - name: Install license plugin
   command: >
     {{es_home}}/bin/plugin install license
-  register: license_change
-  failed_when: "'ERROR' in license_change.stdout"
-  changed_when: license_change.rc == 0
+  register: xpack_state
+  failed_when: "'ERROR' in xpack_state.stdout"
+  changed_when: xpack_state.rc == 0
   when: license_installed.rc == 1 and es_enable_xpack
   notify: restart elasticsearch
   environment:
diff --git a/tasks/xpack/shield/elasticsearch-shield.yml b/tasks/xpack/shield/elasticsearch-shield.yml
index 0612033..dad8525 100644
--- a/tasks/xpack/shield/elasticsearch-shield.yml
+++ b/tasks/xpack/shield/elasticsearch-shield.yml
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
 - name: Remove shield plugin
   command: >
     {{es_home}}/bin/plugin remove shield
-  register: shield_change
-  failed_when: "'ERROR' in shield_change.stdout"
-  changed_when: shield_change.rc == 0
+  register: xpack_state
+  failed_when: "'ERROR' in xpack_state.stdout"
+  changed_when: xpack_state.rc == 0
   when: shield_installed.rc == 0 and (not es_enable_xpack or not '"shield" in es_xpack_features')
   notify: restart elasticsearch
   environment:
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@
 - name: Install shield plugin
   command: >
     {{es_home}}/bin/plugin install shield
-  register: shield_change
-  failed_when: "'ERROR' in shield_change.stdout"
-  changed_when: shield_change.rc == 0
+  register: xpack_state
+  failed_when: "'ERROR' in xpack_state.stdout"
+  changed_when: xpack_state.rc == 0
   when: shield_installed.rc == 1 and es_enable_xpack and '"shield" in es_xpack_features'
   notify: restart elasticsearch
   environment: