diff --git a/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml b/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
index 0b3ff53c..d3380b6a 100644
--- a/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
+++ b/geoserver/geoserver/tasks/geoserver.yml
@@ -17,16 +17,29 @@
       with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
       
     - name: Download the Geoserver file distribution
-      unarchive: copy=no src={{ geoserver_download_url }} dest={{ geoserver_download_directory }} creates={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/geoserver-{{ geoserver_version }}.war validate_certs=False
+      get_url: url={{ geoserver_download_url }} dest={{ geoserver_download_directory }} validate_certs=False
       register: geoserver_download
 
-    - name: Remove the old geoserver instance if there's any
-      file: dest=dest={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }} state=absent
+    - name: Remove the old geoserver war files
+      file: dest={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/{{ item }} state=absent
+      with_items:
+        - geoserver.war
+        - target 
+      when: geoserver_download is changed
+
+    - name: Unpack the Geoserver zip file
+      unarchive: copy=no src={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/geoserver-{{ geoserver_version }}-war.zip dest={{ geoserver_download_directory }} creates={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/geoserver.war 
+
+    - name: Remove the old geoserver instance if it is present
+      file: dest={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }} state=absent
+      with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
+      when: geoserver_download is changed
+
+    - name: Create the Geoserver webapp directory
+      file: path={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }} state=directory owner={{ item.user }} group={{ item.user }}
       with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
-      when: ( geoserver_download | changed )
 
     - name: Unpack the Geoserver war file
-      #unarchive: copy=no src={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/geoserver-{{ geoserver_version }}.war dest={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }} creates={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }}/WEB-INF/lib owner={{ item.user }} group={{ item.user }}
       unarchive: copy=no src={{ geoserver_download_directory }}/geoserver.war dest={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }} creates={{ item.instance_path }}/webapps/{{ geoserver_app_name | lower }}/WEB-INF/lib owner={{ item.user }} group={{ item.user }}
       with_items: '{{ tomcat_m_instances }}'
       notify: tomcat instances restart