diff --git a/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml b/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
index 50194883..1c319c43 100644
--- a/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
+++ b/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
@@ -20,12 +20,19 @@
     - drupal.defer is defined
     - drupal.defer
 
+- name: Remove existing MAILTO entry (if any)
+  community.general.cronvar:
+    name: MAILTO
+    state: absent
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
+
 - name: Set global MAILTO for cron jobs (if defined)
   community.general.cronvar:
     name: MAILTO
     value: "{{ drupal.cron_mailto | default(omit) }}"
     state: present
   when: drupal.cron_mailto is defined and drupal.cron_mailto | length > 0
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
 
 - name: Setup Drupal cron tasks on app server.
   ansible.builtin.cron:
@@ -35,11 +42,7 @@
     day: "{{ entry.day | default(omit) }}"
     weekday: "{{ entry.weekday | default(omit) }}"
     month: "{{ entry.month | default(omit) }}"
-    job: |
-      {% if entry.mailto is defined and entry.mailto | length > 0 %}
-      MAILTO={{ entry.mailto | trim }}
-      {% endif %}
-      {{ _cron_job_command | trim }}
+    job: "{{ _cron_job_command }}"
     state: present
     disabled: "{{ entry.disabled | default(omit) }}"
   delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
diff --git a/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml b/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
index 52132c44..b3e58a6b 100644
--- a/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
+++ b/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
@@ -20,12 +20,19 @@
     - drupal.defer is defined
     - drupal.defer
 
+- name: Remove existing MAILTO entry (if any)
+  community.general.cronvar:
+    name: MAILTO
+    state: absent
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
+
 - name: Set global MAILTO for cron jobs (if defined)
   community.general.cronvar:
     name: MAILTO
     value: "{{ drupal.cron_mailto | default(omit) }}"
     state: present
   when: drupal.cron_mailto is defined and drupal.cron_mailto | length > 0
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
 
 - name: Setup Drupal cron tasks on app server.
   ansible.builtin.cron:
@@ -35,11 +42,7 @@
     day: "{{ entry.day | default(omit) }}"
     weekday: "{{ entry.weekday | default(omit) }}"
     month: "{{ entry.month | default(omit) }}"
-    job: |
-      {% if entry.mailto is defined and entry.mailto | length > 0 %}
-      MAILTO={{ entry.mailto | trim }}
-      {% endif %}
-      {{ _cron_job_command | trim }}
+    job: "{{ _cron_job_command }}"
     state: present
     disabled: "{{ entry.disabled | default(omit) }}"
     cron_file: "{{ entry.file | default(omit) }}"