diff --git a/smartgears/smartgears/defaults/main.yml b/smartgears/smartgears/defaults/main.yml
index 6d3b6c16..c1d4dc72 100644
--- a/smartgears/smartgears/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/smartgears/smartgears/defaults/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ smartgears_install_generic_virthost: True
 smartgears_data_fs: /home
 smartgears_user: '{{ d4science_user }}'
 smartgears_user_home: '{{ d4science_user_home }}'
+smartgears_downloads_dir: '{{ d4science_user_home }}/downloads'
 smartgears_instance_path: '{{ smartgears_user_home }}/tomcat'
 smartgears_install_path: '{{ smartgears_user_home }}/SmartGears'
 smartgears_distribution_version: 2.1.2-4.6.1-146408
diff --git a/smartgears/smartgears/tasks/smartgears-app.yml b/smartgears/smartgears/tasks/smartgears-app.yml
index 7f85d329..c8f6f6d0 100644
--- a/smartgears/smartgears/tasks/smartgears-app.yml
+++ b/smartgears/smartgears/tasks/smartgears-app.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 ---
+- name: Create a directory where to store all the smartgears related downloads to avoid cluttering the home directory
+  file: dest={{ smartgears_downloads_dir }} state=directory
+  tags: [ 'smartgears', 'tomcat' ]
+  
 - name: Remove the smartgears distribution archive to force un upgrade
   file: dest={{ item }} state=absent
   with_items:
@@ -79,7 +83,6 @@
   notify: Restart smartgears
   tags: [ 'smartgears', 'smartgears_conf', 'tomcat', 'logback_conf' ]
 
-
 - name: Remove some wrong symbolic links created by the install/upgrade script
   file: dest={{ item }} state=absent
   with_items: