diff --git a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/main.yml b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/main.yml
index 55fd15860..c390da93d 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/main.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@
   ignore_errors: true
   register: socketrgw
 
+- name: create a local fetch directory if it doesn't exist
+  local_action: file path=fetch state=directory 
+  changed_when: false
+  sudo: false
+
 - name: generate cluster uuid
   local_action: shell uuidgen | tee fetch/ceph_cluster_uuid.conf
     creates=fetch/ceph_cluster_uuid.conf