diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index bc584047..a045211b 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ cache_timeout: 600
 # The following three default exclusions are highly recommended for AIDE to
 # work properly, but additional exclusions can be added to this list if needed.
 aide_exclude_dirs:
-  - /var/lib/lxc
   - /openstack
   - /opt
+  - /var
 #
 # By default, the AIDE database won't be initialized immediately since it can
 # consume plenty of CPU and I/O resources while it runs. To initialize the
diff --git a/handlers/main.yml b/handlers/main.yml
index 9ab6cac7..d0d4ab65 100644
--- a/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/handlers/main.yml
@@ -59,11 +59,5 @@
   command: augenrules --load
   notify: restart auditd
 
-# This will take a while to complete the first run, so we will fork it into
-# the background so it doesn't hold up the whole playbook.
-- name: initialize AIDE
-  shell: "aideinit -b"
-  when: initialize_aide | bool
-
 - name: rehash aliases
   command: newaliases
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/aide-initialization-fix-16ab0223747d7719.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/aide-initialization-fix-16ab0223747d7719.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a478572c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/aide-initialization-fix-16ab0223747d7719.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    AIDE is configured to skip the entire ``/var`` directory when it does the
+    database initialization and when it performs checks. This reduces disk
+    I/O and allows these jobs to complete faster.
+
+    This also allows the initialization to become a blocking process and
+    Ansible will wait for the initialization to complete prior to running the
+    next task.
+fixes:
+  - |
+    AIDE initialization is now always run on subsequent playbook runs when
+    ``initialize_aide`` is set to ``yes``. The initialization will
+    be skipped if AIDE isn't installed or if the AIDE database already exists.
+
+    See `bug 1616281 <https://launchpad.net/bugs/1616281>`_ for more details.
diff --git a/tasks/aide.yml b/tasks/aide.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d2e4fffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/aide.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2016, Rackspace US, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+- name: V-38489 - Install AIDE (with apt)
+  apt:
+    name: "{{ item }}"
+    state: present
+  with_items:
+    - aide
+    - aide-common
+  when: ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
+  tags:
+    - aide
+    - cat2
+    - V-38489
+
+- name: Verify that AIDE configuration directory exists
+  stat:
+    path: /etc/aide/aide.conf.d
+  register: aide_conf
+  always_run: true
+  tags:
+    - always
+
+- name: V-38489 - Exclude certain directories from AIDE
+  template:
+    src: ZZ_aide_exclusions.j2
+    dest: /etc/aide/aide.conf.d/ZZ_aide_exclusions
+  when: aide_conf.stat.exists | bool
+  tags:
+    - aide
+    - cat2
+    - V-38489
+
+- name: Check to see if AIDE database is already in place
+  stat:
+    path: /var/lib/aide/aide.db
+  register: aide_database
+  always_run: True
+  tags:
+    - always
+
+- name: V-38489 - Initialize AIDE (this will take a few minutes)
+  shell: "aideinit"
+  register: aide_init
+  when:
+    - aide_conf.stat.exists | bool
+    - not aide_database.stat.exists | bool
+    - initialize_aide | bool
+  tags:
+    - aide
+    - cat2
+    - V-38489
+
+- name: Check for AIDE cron job (for V-38670)
+  stat:
+    path: "/etc/cron.daily/aide"
+  register: v38670_result
+  changed_when: False
+  tags:
+    - aide
+    - cat2
+    - V-38670
+
+- name: V-38670 - System must detect unauthorized changes to software and information
+  fail:
+    msg: "FAILED: AIDE cron job is missing"
+  when:
+    - not check_mode
+    - v38670_result.stat.exists == False
+  tags:
+    - aide
+    - cat2
+    - V-38670
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index aa1c7402..6425b548 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
       - always
 
   - include: apt.yml
+  - include: aide.yml
   - include: auditd.yml
   - include: auth.yml
   - include: boot.yml
diff --git a/tasks/misc.yml b/tasks/misc.yml
index 1d215883..62ae58dd 100644
--- a/tasks/misc.yml
+++ b/tasks/misc.yml
@@ -13,55 +13,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-- name: V-38489 - Install AIDE
-  apt:
-      name: "{{ item }}"
-      state: present
-  with_items:
-    - aide
-    - aide-common
-  tags:
-    - cat2
-    - V-38489
-
-- name: Verify that AIDE configuration directory exists
-  stat:
-    path: /etc/aide/aide.conf.d
-  register: aide_conf
-  always_run: true
-  tags:
-    - always
-
-- name: V-38489 - Exclude certain directories from AIDE and initialize DB
-  template:
-    src: ZZ_aide_exclusions.j2
-    dest: /etc/aide/aide.conf.d/ZZ_aide_exclusions
-  when: aide_conf.stat.exists | bool
-  notify:
-    - initialize AIDE
-  tags:
-    - cat2
-    - V-38489
-
-- name: Check for AIDE cron job (for V-38670)
-  stat:
-    path: /etc/cron.daily/aide
-  register: v38670_result
-  changed_when: False
-  tags:
-    - cat2
-    - V-38670
-
-- name: V-38670 - System must detect unauthorized changes to software and information
-  fail:
-    msg: "FAILED: AIDE cron job is missing"
-  when:
-    - not check_mode
-    - v38670_result.stat.exists == False
-  tags:
-    - cat2
-    - V-38670
-
 - name: Search for .netrc files (for V-38619)
   shell: find /root /home -xdev -name .netrc | wc -l
   register: v38619_result