diff --git a/node-configuration/handlers/main.yml b/node-configuration/handlers/main.yml
index 06b0244..b450037 100644
--- a/node-configuration/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/node-configuration/handlers/main.yml
@@ -5,9 +5,3 @@
     name: sshd
     state: restarted
   listen: "restart sshd"
-
-- name: Restart fail2ban service
-  ansible.builtin.service:
-    name: fail2ban
-    state: restarted
-  listen: "restart fail2ban"
diff --git a/node-configuration/tasks/ssh.yml b/node-configuration/tasks/ssh.yml
index 803ab68..926c966 100644
--- a/node-configuration/tasks/ssh.yml
+++ b/node-configuration/tasks/ssh.yml
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 ---
-- name: Install fail2ban
-  ansible.builtin.package:
-    name: fail2ban
-    state: present
+- name: Ensures fail2ban dir exists
+  file: 
+    path: /etc/fail2ban 
+    state: directory
 
 - name: Configure fail2ban
   copy:
     src: ../templates/fail2ban.conf
     dest: /etc/fail2ban/fail2ban.conf
     backup: yes
-  notify: restart fail2ban
+
+- name: Install fail2ban
+  ansible.builtin.package:
+    name: fail2ban
+    state: present
 
 - name: Disable password login
   lineinfile: