diff --git a/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/11-create-template-root b/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/11-create-template-root
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..2559cf11b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/11-create-template-root
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -eux
+
+TEMPLATE_ROOT=$(os-apply-config --print-templates)
+mkdir -p $TEMPLATE_ROOT
diff --git a/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/os-apply-config-source-install/10-os-config-applier b/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/os-apply-config-source-install/10-os-config-applier
index d55070077..b78f38f8c 100755
--- a/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/os-apply-config-source-install/10-os-config-applier
+++ b/elements/os-apply-config/install.d/os-apply-config-source-install/10-os-config-applier
@@ -12,6 +12,3 @@ virtualenv --setuptools /opt/stack/venvs/os-apply-config
 
 ln -s /opt/stack/venvs/os-apply-config/bin/os-apply-config /usr/local/bin/os-apply-config
 ln -s /opt/stack/venvs/os-apply-config/bin/os-config-applier /usr/local/bin/os-config-applier
-
-TEMPLATE_ROOT=$(os-apply-config --print-templates)
-mkdir -p $TEMPLATE_ROOT