Allow empty yaml vars files

Fixes ansible#7843

lib/ansible/inventory/vars_plugins/group_vars.py

@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ def _load_vars_from_path(path, results, vault_password=None):
     # regular file
     elif stat.S_ISREG(pathstat.st_mode):
         data = utils.parse_yaml_from_file(path, vault_password=vault_password)
-        if type(data) != dict:
-            raise errors.AnsibleError(
-                "%s must be stored as a dictionary/hash" % path)
-
+        if data and type(data) != dict:
+            raise errors.AnsibleError("%s must be stored as a dictionary/hash" % path)
+        elif data is None:
+            data = {}
         # combine vars overrides by default but can be configured to do a
         # hash merge in settings
         results = utils.combine_vars(results, data)

lib/ansible/playbook/play.py

@@ -332,7 +332,6 @@ def _load_role_defaults(self, defaults_files):
                 if new_default_vars:
                     if type(new_default_vars) != dict:
                         raise errors.AnsibleError("%s must be stored as dictionary/hash: %s" % (filename, type(new_default_vars)))
-
                     default_vars = utils.combine_vars(default_vars, new_default_vars)
 
         return default_vars

lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/include_vars.py

@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@ def run(self, conn, tmp, module_name, module_args, inject, complex_args=None, **
 
         if os.path.exists(source):
             data = utils.parse_yaml_from_file(source, vault_password=self.runner.vault_pass)
-            if type(data) != dict:
+            if data and type(data) != dict:
                 raise errors.AnsibleError("%s must be stored as a dictionary/hash" % source)
+            elif data is None:
+                data = {}
             result = dict(ansible_facts=data)
             return ReturnData(conn=conn, comm_ok=True, result=result)
         else: