diff --git a/roles/slurm/tasks/main.yml b/roles/slurm/tasks/main.yml
index 1cc85b919195ea102c531004c8a67257f59578d6..87653928efa952b4cc8ea45a1f00e2c685188de0 100644
--- a/roles/slurm/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/slurm/tasks/main.yml
@@ -50,9 +50,7 @@
   when: slurm_use_vpn==True
 
 - name: create data directory
-  shell: mkdir -p /var/spool/slurm 
-  args:
-    creates: "/var/spool/slurm"
+  file: path=/var/spool/slurm state=directory owner=slurm group=slurm mode=644 
   sudo: true
 
 - name: create log directory