diff --git a/roles/linux_container/defaults/main.yml b/roles/linux_container/defaults/main.yml
index 2df44ba..85a16e8 100644
--- a/roles/linux_container/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/linux_container/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 ---
 lte_debian_version: bookworm
+lte_container_state: present
diff --git a/roles/linux_container/tasks/container.yml b/roles/linux_container/tasks/container.yml
index 8e58a1f..9a90ea5 100644
--- a/roles/linux_container/tasks/container.yml
+++ b/roles/linux_container/tasks/container.yml
@@ -3,17 +3,30 @@
   ansible.builtin.command: incus ls {{ lte_container_name }}
   register: container_state
   changed_when: false
+- name: stop and remove running container
+  ansible.builtin.shell:
+    cmd: |
+      incus stop {{ lte_container_name }} && \
+      incus rm {{ lte_container_name }}
+  when: >
+    lte_container_state == "absent" and
+    state.results[0].rc == 0 and
+    "RUNNING" in state.results[0].stdout
 - name: launch debian bookworm linux container
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: |
       incus launch \
         images:debian/{{ lte_debian_version }}/cloud \
         {{ lte_container_name }}
-  when: (container_state.rc == 1) or ("RUNNING" not in container_state.stdout)
+  when: >
+    lte_container_state == "present" and
+    container_state.rc == 1 or
+    "RUNNING" not in container_state.stdout
 - name: update apt cache and upgrade system packages
   ansible.builtin.shell:
     cmd: |-
       incus exec {{ lte_container_name }} -- \
         bash -c \
           '/usr/bin/apt update && /usr/bin/apt upgrade -y'
+  when: lte_container_state == "present" 
   changed_when: false