diff --git a/tasks/tomcat-pkgs.yml b/tasks/tomcat-pkgs.yml
index fbc2864..444696e 100644
--- a/tasks/tomcat-pkgs.yml
+++ b/tasks/tomcat-pkgs.yml
@@ -121,10 +121,13 @@
     - ansible_distribution_version is version_compare('24.04', '<')
   tags: ['tomcat', 'tomcat_serverxml', 'tomcat_conf', 'tomcat_init']
 
-- name: tomcat-pkgs | Reload the systemd daemon if we are running on a systemd-backed server
-  ansible.builtin.systemd:
-    daemon-reload: true
-  when: reload_systemd
+- name: tomcat-pkgs | Ensure that /usr/lib/systemd/system exists
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: /usr/lib/systemd/system
+    state: directory
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0755"
   tags: ['tomcat', 'tomcat_instances', 'tomcat_init']
 
 - name: tomcat-pkgs | Install the systemd unit
@@ -135,11 +138,18 @@
     group: root
     mode: "0644"
   notify: tomcat restart
+  register: reload_systemd
   when:
     - tomcat_use_systemd_unit
     - ansible_distribution_version is version_compare('24.04', '<')
   tags: ['tomcat', 'tomcat_serverxml', 'tomcat_conf']
 
+- name: tomcat-pkgs | Reload the systemd daemon if we are running on a systemd-backed server
+  ansible.builtin.systemd:
+    daemon-reload: true
+  when: reload_systemd
+  tags: ['tomcat', 'tomcat_instances', 'tomcat_init']
+
 - name: tomcat-pkgs | Install a slightly modified catalina.properties
   ansible.builtin.template:
     src: catalina.properties.j2