diff --git a/playbooks/lemp-wordpress-ultimate.yml b/playbooks/lemp-wordpress-ultimate.yml
index 1b520af..7c711be 100755
--- a/playbooks/lemp-wordpress-ultimate.yml
+++ b/playbooks/lemp-wordpress-ultimate.yml
@@ -80,7 +80,24 @@
     # These variables come from inventory/production.yml
     # wp_admin_user, wp_admin_password, wp_admin_email, wp_site_title
 
-  tasks:
+tasks:
+    # IMPORTANT: Pre-flight checks - create basic directory structure FIRST
+    - name: Ensure /var/www exists
+      file:
+        path: /var/www
+        state: directory
+        mode: '0755'
+      tags: [preflight]
+
+    - name: Create web root directory
+      file:
+        path: /var/www/html
+        state: directory
+        owner: www-data
+        group: www-data
+        mode: '0755'
+      tags: [preflight]
+
     # Package Installation
     - name: Update package cache
       apt:
@@ -88,9 +105,15 @@
         cache_valid_time: 3600
       tags: packages
 
-    - name: Install gnupg for PPA
+    - name: Install nginx first (required for web root)
+      apt:
+        name: nginx
+        state: present
+      tags: [packages, nginx]
+
+    - name: Install all required packages
       package:
-        name: gnupg
+        name: "{{ packages }}"
         state: present
       tags: packages
 
diff --git a/playbooks/lemp-wordpress.yml b/playbooks/lemp-wordpress.yml
index c9ab9af..204bdd3 100755
--- a/playbooks/lemp-wordpress.yml
+++ b/playbooks/lemp-wordpress.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
     # Auto-Update Configuration
     update_cron_enabled: true
 
-  tasks:
+tasks:
     # IMPORTANT: Pre-flight checks - create basic directory structure FIRST
     - name: Ensure /var/www exists
       file:
@@ -102,12 +102,30 @@
       tags: [preflight]
 
     # Package Installation
+    - name: Update package cache
+      apt:
+        update_cache: yes
+        cache_valid_time: 3600
+      tags: packages
+
+    - name: Install gnupg for PPA (required for apt-add-repository)
+      package:
+        name: gnupg
+        state: present
+      tags: packages
+
     - name: Install nginx first (required for web root)
       apt:
         name: nginx
         state: present
       tags: [packages, nginx]
 
+    - name: Install all required packages
+      package:
+        name: "{{ packages }}"
+        state: present
+      tags: [packages, nginx]
+
     - name: Install gnupg for PPA (required for apt-add-repository)
       package:
         name: gnupg