diff --git a/roles/shaarli/tasks/main.yml b/roles/shaarli/tasks/main.yml
index 617624f..90447b3 100644
--- a/roles/shaarli/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/shaarli/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 ---
 
+- name: Create application directory
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    state: directory
+    path: "{{ shaarli_local_path }}"
+    owner: root
+    group: www-data
+    mode: "a-rwx,u+rwX,g+rX"
+
 - name: Install Shaarli
   ansible.builtin.unarchive:
     remote_src: true
@@ -18,6 +26,7 @@
     dest: "{{ shaarli_local_path }}/{{ item }}"
     owner: root
     group: www-data
+    recurse: true
     mode: "g+w"
   loop:
     - "data"