diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 7bd2ba9..17f2701 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 userli_version: "3.2.2"
 userli_mysql_user: "userli"
-userli_mysql_password: "{{ secrets_userli_mysql_password }}"
+userli_mysql_password: ""
 userli_mysql_db: "userli"
 userli_mysql_priv: "{{ userli_mysql_db }}.*:ALL"
 userli_db_type: mysql
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index f08f428..f7ff862 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 ---
+- name: Preflight checks
+  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: preflight.yml
+
 - name: Ensure group is present
   ansible.builtin.group:
     name: "{{ userli_group }}"
diff --git a/tasks/preflight.yml b/tasks/preflight.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7babe77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/preflight.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+- name: Assert that required variables are set
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - userli_mysql_password is defined and userli_mysql_password != ""
+    fail_msg: "userli_mysql_password is not defined or empty"
+    success_msg: "userli_mysql_password is defined and not empty"