diff --git a/users/init.sls b/users/init.sls
index b62aef1..1330680 100644
--- a/users/init.sls
+++ b/users/init.sls
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 {% set used_googleauth = [] %}
 {% set used_user_files = [] %}
 {% set used_polkit = [] %}
+{%- set create_dirs = [] %}
+{%- set created_groups = [] %}
 
 {% for group, setting in salt['pillar.get']('groups', {}).items() %}
 {%   if setting.absent is defined and setting.absent or setting.get('state', "present") == 'absent' %}
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ users_group_absent_{{ group }}:
   group.absent:
     - name: {{ group }}
 {% else %}
+{%- do created_groups.append(group) %}
 users_group_present_{{ group }}:
   group.present:
     - name: {{ group }}
@@ -75,9 +78,33 @@ include:
 {%- set user_group = name -%}
 {%- endif %}
 
+{%- if createhome %}
+{%- set required_dir = salt['file.dirname'](home) %}
+{%- do create_dirs.append(required_dir) %}
+{%- endif %}
+
 {%- if not ( 'sudoonly' in user and user['sudoonly'] ) %}
-{% for group in user.get('groups', []) %}
-users_{{ name }}_{{ group }}_group:
+
+{#- create prime group #}
+{%- if user_group not in created_groups %}
+{%- do created_groups.append(user_group) %}
+users_group_present_{{ user_group }}:
+  group.present:
+    - name: {{ user_group }}
+    {%- if 'prime_group' in user and 'gid' in user['prime_group'] %}
+    - gid: {{ user['prime_group']['gid'] }}
+    {%- elif 'uid' in user %}
+    - gid: {{ user['uid'] }}
+    {%- endif %}
+    {% if 'system' in user and user['system'] %}
+    - system: True
+    {% endif %}
+{%- endif %}
+
+{#- create required groups #}
+{%- for group in user.get('groups', []) if group not in created_groups %}
+{%- do created_groups.append(group) %}
+users_group_present_{{ group }}:
   group.present:
     - name: {{ group }}
     {% if group == 'sudo' %}
@@ -85,16 +112,6 @@ users_{{ name }}_{{ group }}_group:
     {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 
-{# in case home subfolder doesn't exist, create it before the user exists #}
-{% if createhome -%}
-users_{{ name }}_user_prereq:
-  file.directory:
-    - name: {{ salt['file.dirname'](home) }}
-    - makedirs: True
-    - prereq:
-      - user: users_{{ name }}_user
-{%- endif %}
-
 users_{{ name }}_user:
   {% if createhome -%}
   file.directory:
@@ -107,16 +124,6 @@ users_{{ name }}_user:
       - user: users_{{ name }}_user
       - group: {{ user_group }}
   {%- endif %}
-  group.present:
-    - name: {{ user_group }}
-    {%- if 'prime_group' in user and 'gid' in user['prime_group'] %}
-    - gid: {{ user['prime_group']['gid'] }}
-    {%- elif 'uid' in user %}
-    - gid: {{ user['uid'] }}
-    {%- endif %}
-    {% if 'system' in user and user['system'] %}
-    - system: True
-    {% endif %}
   user.present:
     - name: {{ name }}
     - home: {{ home }}
@@ -207,6 +214,9 @@ users_{{ name }}_user:
       {% for group in user.get('groups', []) -%}
       - group: {{ group }}
       {% endfor %}
+      {%- if createhome and required_dir != '/' %}
+      - file: users_prereq_dir_{{ required_dir }}
+      {%- endif %}
 
 
   {% if 'ssh_keys' in user or
@@ -568,6 +578,14 @@ users_{{ name }}_user_gitconfig_absent_{{ key }}:
 
 {% endfor %}
 
+{#- create directories for homes #}
+{%- for dir in create_dirs|unique|reject('equalto', '/') %}
+users_prereq_dir_{{ dir }}:
+  file.directory:
+    - name: {{ dir }}
+    - makedirs: True
+{%- endfor %}
+
 
 {% for name, user in pillar.get('users', {}).items()
         if user.absent is defined and user.absent %}