diff --git a/tasks/oracle/create_db_users.yml b/tasks/oracle/create_db_users.yml
index 8655c907f76eebf065bb0cfe59d389cc8a7d44fb..71879e5b455b099635b7eba6172dc95a47fdfe47 100644
--- a/tasks/oracle/create_db_users.yml
+++ b/tasks/oracle/create_db_users.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
     password_lock: true
     shell: "/bin/tcsh"
     state: present
+  register: db_user
+  failed_when:
+    - "db_user.rc != 0"
+    # Ignore this error, because usually, the Oracle DB user has running pro-
+    # cesses and cannot be changed while the DB is running.
+    - "'is currently used by process' not in db_user.msg"
 
 # The DB user doesn't actually use this dir, but it's nice for admins to put
 # stuff there.