diff --git a/docker/services/ceph-ansible/ceph-base.yaml b/docker/services/ceph-ansible/ceph-base.yaml
index 796eab9220..ee3c3d0da7 100644
--- a/docker/services/ceph-ansible/ceph-base.yaml
+++ b/docker/services/ceph-ansible/ceph-base.yaml
@@ -482,9 +482,11 @@ outputs:
                 stat: path="{{local_ceph_ansible_fetch_directory_backup}}"
                 register: local_backup_directory
                 ignore_errors: True
-              - name: ensure requested local back up directory exists
-                fail:
-                  msg: "Process runing Ansible is unable to stat LocalCephAnsibleFetchDirectoryBackup: {{local_ceph_ansible_fetch_directory_backup}}"
+              - name: autocreate new directory for ceph-ansible fetch directory backup
+                file:
+                  path: "{{local_ceph_ansible_fetch_directory_backup}}"
+                  state: directory
+                  mode: 0700
                 when: local_backup_directory.stat.exists == False
               - name: look for tarball of ceph-ansible fetch directory in local backup
                 stat: path="{{local_ceph_ansible_fetch_directory_backup}}/{{ceph_ansible_tarball_name}}"