diff --git a/tasks/main_ca.yml b/tasks/main_ca.yml
index f715cd8..dded460 100644
--- a/tasks/main_ca.yml
+++ b/tasks/main_ca.yml
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
     mode: "{{ item.mode | default('0755') }}"
   with_items:
     - "{{ pki_ca_dirs }}"
+    - "{{ pki_cert_dirs }}"
   delegate_to: "{{ pki_setup_host }}"
-  when: pki_create_ca | bool
   check_mode: no
 
 - name: Create certificate authorities
diff --git a/tasks/main_certs.yml b/tasks/main_certs.yml
index 2dbd56f..9b61fb1 100644
--- a/tasks/main_certs.yml
+++ b/tasks/main_certs.yml
@@ -13,24 +13,6 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-- name: Include {{ pki_method }} certificate variables
-  include_vars:
-    file: "{{ pki_method ~ '_cert.yml' }}"
-
-- name: Create certificate directories
-  file:
-    state: directory
-    path: "{{ item.path }}"
-    owner: "{{ item.owner | default(pki_owner) | default(omit) }}"
-    group: "{{ item.group | default(pki_group) | default(omit) }}"
-    mode: "{{ item.mode | default('0755') }}"
-  with_items:
-    - "{{ pki_cert_dirs }}"
-  when: pki_create_certificates | default(true)
-  delegate_to: "{{ pki_setup_host }}"
-  run_once: yes
-  check_mode: no
-
 - name: Create Server certificates
   include_tasks: "{{ pki_method }}/create_cert.yml"
   loop: "{{ _pki_certificates_defs }}"
diff --git a/vars/standalone_ca.yml b/vars/standalone_ca.yml
index 23faca6..eeec5e9 100644
--- a/vars/standalone_ca.yml
+++ b/vars/standalone_ca.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ pki_ca_dirs:
   - path: "{{ pki_dir }}"
   - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/roots' }}"
 
+# directories for server certificates on the CA host
+_pki_cert_dirs:
+  - path: "{{ pki_dir }}"
+  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs' }}"
+    mode: "{{ pki_cert_dir_mode }}"
+  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/csr' }}"
+    mode: "{{ pki_key_dir_mode }}"
+  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/private' }}"
+    mode: "{{ pki_key_dir_mode }}"
+  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/certs' }}"
+    mode: "{{ pki_cert_dir_mode }}"
+
 pki_ca_install_command:
   apt: "update-ca-certificates"
-  dnf: "update-ca-trust extract"
\ No newline at end of file
+  dnf: "update-ca-trust extract"
diff --git a/vars/standalone_cert.yml b/vars/standalone_cert.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 42a4d9f..0000000
--- a/vars/standalone_cert.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
----
-# Copyright 2021, BBC
-#
-# 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.
-
-# directories for server certificates on the CA host
-_pki_cert_dirs:
-  - path: "{{ pki_dir }}"
-  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs' }}"
-    mode: "{{ pki_cert_dir_mode }}"
-  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/csr' }}"
-    mode: "{{ pki_key_dir_mode }}"
-  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/private' }}"
-    mode: "{{ pki_key_dir_mode }}"
-  - path: "{{ pki_dir ~ '/certs/certs' }}"
-    mode: "{{ pki_cert_dir_mode }}"