diff --git a/ansible/molecule/default/verify.yml b/ansible/molecule/default/verify.yml
index 01dc43192..1b3a436ca 100644
--- a/ansible/molecule/default/verify.yml
+++ b/ansible/molecule/default/verify.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@
       register: logs
       failed_when: "('Consuming ' + filename + '.txt') not in logs.content"
 
-    # assumes txt consumption finished by now, might have to sleep a bit
+    - name: sleep 5 seconds
+      pause:
+        seconds: 5
+
     - name: verify uploaded document has been consumed
       uri:
         url: "http://{{ paperlessng_listen_address }}:{{ paperlessng_listen_port }}/api/logs/"
diff --git a/ansible/tasks/install-source.yml b/ansible/tasks/install-source.yml
index 64fbc525b..ab8fbfef7 100644
--- a/ansible/tasks/install-source.yml
+++ b/ansible/tasks/install-source.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 ---
-# https://github.com/jonaswinkler/paperless-ng/blob/dev/.github/workflows/ci.yml
 - name: install dev dependencies
   apt:
     pkg:
@@ -7,96 +6,106 @@
       - npm
       - gettext
 
-- name: create temporary git directory
-  tempfile:
-    state: directory
-  register: gitdir
-
-- name: pull paperless-ng
-  git:
-    repo: https://github.com/jonaswinkler/paperless-ng.git
-    dest: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
-    version: "{{ paperlessng_version }}"
-    refspec: "+refs/pull/*:refs/pull/*"
-
-- name: compile frontend
-  command:
-    cmd: "{{ item }}"
-  args:
-    chdir: "{{ gitdir.path }}/src-ui"
-  failed_when: false
-  with_items:
-    - npm install -g @angular/cli
-    - npm install
-    - ./node_modules/.bin/ng build --prod
-
 - name: create output directories
   file:
     path: "{{ item }}"
     state: directory
+    owner: "{{ paperlessng_system_user }}"
+    group: "{{ paperlessng_system_group }}"
+    mode: "750"
   with_items:
     - "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng"
     - "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/scripts"
 
-- name: copy application into place
-  copy:
-    src: "{{ gitdir.path }}/{{ item.src }}"
-    remote_src: yes
-    dest: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/{{ item.dest | default('') }}"
-  with_items:
-    - src: CONTRIBUTING.md
-    - src: LICENSE
-    - src: Pipfile
-    - src: Pipfile.lock
-    - src: README.md
-    - src: requirements.txt
-    - src: paperless.conf.example
-      dest: "paperless.conf"
+- block:
+    - name: create temporary git directory
+      tempfile:
+        state: directory
+        path: "{{ paperlessng_directory }}"
+      register: gitdir
 
-- name: glob all scripts
-  find:
-    paths: ["{{ gitdir.path }}/scripts/"]
-    patterns:
-      - "*.service"
-      - "*.sh"
-  register: glob
+    - name: pull paperless-ng
+      git:
+        repo: https://github.com/jonaswinkler/paperless-ng.git
+        dest: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
+        version: "{{ paperlessng_version }}"
+        refspec: "+refs/pull/*:refs/pull/*"
 
-- name: copy scripts
-  copy:
-    src: "{{ item.path }}"
-    remote_src: yes
-    dest: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/scripts/"
-  with_items:
-    - "{{ glob.files }}"
+    - name: compile frontend
+      command:
+        cmd: "{{ item }}"
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ gitdir.path }}/src-ui"
+      failed_when: false
+      with_items:
+        - npm install -g @angular/cli
+        - npm install
+        - ./node_modules/.bin/ng build --prod
 
-- name: copy sources
-  command:
-    cmd: "cp -r src/ {{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src"
-  args:
-    chdir: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
+    - name: copy application into place
+      copy:
+        src: "{{ gitdir.path }}/{{ item.src }}"
+        remote_src: yes
+        dest: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/{{ item.dest | default('') }}"
+      with_items:
+        - src: CONTRIBUTING.md
+        - src: LICENSE
+        - src: Pipfile
+        - src: Pipfile.lock
+        - src: README.md
+        - src: requirements.txt
+        - src: paperless.conf.example
+          dest: "paperless.conf"
 
-- name: install paperlessng requirements
-  pip:
-    requirements: "{{ gitdir.path }}/requirements.txt"
-    virtualenv: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/"
-    extra_args: --upgrade
+    - name: glob all scripts
+      find:
+        paths: ["{{ gitdir.path }}/scripts/"]
+        patterns:
+          - "*.service"
+          - "*.sh"
+      register: glob
 
-- name: compile messages
-  command: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/bin/python3 manage.py compilemessages"
-  args:
-    chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src/"
+    - name: copy scripts
+      copy:
+        src: "{{ item.path }}"
+        remote_src: yes
+        dest: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/scripts/"
+      with_items:
+        - "{{ glob.files }}"
 
-- name: collect static files
-  command: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/bin/python3 manage.py collectstatic --no-input"
-  args:
-    chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src/"
+    - name: copy sources
+      command:
+        cmd: "cp -r src/ {{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src"
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
 
-- name: remove pycache directories
-  shell: find . -name __pycache__ | xargs rm -r
-  args:
-    chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}"
+    - name: create paperlessng venv
+      command:
+        cmd: "python3 -m virtualenv {{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/ -p /usr/bin/python3"
 
-- name: remove temporary git directory
-  file:
-    path: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
-    state: absent
+    - name: install paperlessng requirements
+      command:
+        cmd: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/bin/python3 -m pip install -r {{ gitdir.path }}/requirements.txt"
+
+    - name: compile messages
+      command: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/bin/python3 manage.py compilemessages"
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src/"
+
+    - name: collect static files
+      command: "{{ gitdir.path }}/.venv/bin/python3 manage.py collectstatic --no-input"
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}/paperless-ng/src/"
+
+    - name: remove pycache directories
+      shell: find . -name __pycache__ | xargs rm -r
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ tempdir.path }}"
+
+    - name: remove temporary git directory
+      file:
+        path: "{{ gitdir.path }}"
+        state: absent
+
+  become: yes
+  become_user: "{{ paperlessng_system_user }}"
diff --git a/ansible/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/tasks/main.yml
index 5ad30dfcf..f45747cb6 100644
--- a/ansible/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/tasks/main.yml
@@ -190,9 +190,19 @@
   when: update_installation
 
 - block:
+    - name: create paperless-ng directory and set permissions
+      file:
+        path: "{{ paperlessng_directory }}"
+        state: directory
+        owner: "{{ paperlessng_system_user }}"
+        group: "{{ paperlessng_system_group }}"
+        mode: "750"
     - name: create temporary directory
+      become: yes
+      become_user: "{{ paperlessng_system_user }}"
       tempfile:
         state: directory
+        path: "{{ paperlessng_directory }}"
       register: tempdir
     - name: check if version is available as release archive
       uri:
@@ -238,7 +248,6 @@
     group: "{{ paperlessng_system_group }}"
     mode: "750"
   with_items:
-    - "{{ paperlessng_directory }}"
     - "{{ paperlessng_consumption_dir }}"
     - "{{ paperlessng_data_dir }}"
     - "{{ paperlessng_media_root }}"