diff --git a/playbooks/update_puppet.yaml b/playbooks/update_puppet.yaml
index 274e4c1144..0ee99410e2 100644
--- a/playbooks/update_puppet.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/update_puppet.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
   - synchronize:
       src: /etc/puppet/modules
       dest: /etc/puppet
+  - file:
+      path: /etc/puppet/hieradata
+      state: directory
+      mode: 0700
+      owner: root
+      group: root
   - file:
       src: /etc/puppet/hieradata
       dest: /opt/system-config/hieradata