diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index daf0cf4f..4608e773 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -128,3 +128,20 @@ __logging_required_facts:
 # the 'gather_subset' parameter of the 'setup' module
 __logging_required_facts_subsets: "{{ ['!all', '!min'] +
   __logging_required_facts }}"
+
+# BEGIN - DO NOT EDIT THIS BLOCK - rh distros variables
+# Ansible distribution identifiers that the role treats like RHEL
+__logging_rh_distros:
+  - AlmaLinux
+  - CentOS
+  - RedHat
+  - Rocky
+
+# Same as above but includes Fedora
+__logging_rh_distros_fedora: "{{ __logging_rh_distros + ['Fedora'] }}"
+# Use this in conditionals to check if distro is Red Hat or clone
+__logging_is_rh_distro: "{{ ansible_distribution in __logging_rh_distros }}"
+
+# Use this in conditionals to check if distro is Red Hat or clone, or Fedora
+__logging_is_rh_distro_fedora: "{{ ansible_distribution in __logging_rh_distros_fedora }}"
+# END - DO NOT EDIT THIS BLOCK - rh distros variables
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/vars/AlmaLinux_7.yml b/roles/rsyslog/vars/AlmaLinux_7.yml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..105e6302
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/vars/AlmaLinux_7.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+RedHat_7.yml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/vars/Rocky_7.yml b/roles/rsyslog/vars/Rocky_7.yml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..105e6302
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/vars/Rocky_7.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+RedHat_7.yml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/vars/rh_distros_vars.yml b/tests/vars/rh_distros_vars.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92ab1a63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/vars/rh_distros_vars.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# vars for handling conditionals for RedHat and clones
+# DO NOT EDIT - file is auto-generated
+---
+# Ansible distribution identifiers that the role treats like RHEL
+__logging_rh_distros:
+  - AlmaLinux
+  - CentOS
+  - RedHat
+  - Rocky
+
+# Same as above but includes Fedora
+__logging_rh_distros_fedora: "{{ __logging_rh_distros + ['Fedora'] }}"
+# Use this in conditionals to check if distro is Red Hat or clone
+__logging_is_rh_distro: "{{ ansible_distribution in __logging_rh_distros }}"
+# Use this in conditionals to check if distro is Red Hat or clone, or Fedora
+__logging_is_rh_distro_fedora: "{{ ansible_distribution in __logging_rh_distros_fedora }}"