diff --git a/tasks/build/install-k3s-directories.yml b/tasks/build/install-k3s-directories.yml
index ff2a8ce..e821270 100644
--- a/tasks/build/install-k3s-directories.yml
+++ b/tasks/build/install-k3s-directories.yml
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@
     mode: "{{ directory.mode | default(0755) }}"
   become: "{{ k3s_become_for_directory_creation | ternary(true, false, k3s_become_for_all) }}"
   when: directory.path is defined
+        and directory.path | length > 0
         and directory.path != omit
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index efbc11b..c0e6d10 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ k3s_ensure_directories_exist:
   - name: Default local storage path
     path: "{{ k3s_runtime_config['default-local-storage-path'] | default(omit) }}"
   - name: Private registry config file
-    path: "{{ k3s_runtime_config['private-registry'] | default(omit) }}"
+    path: "{{ (k3s_runtime_config['private-registry'] | default(omit)) | dirname }}"
 
 # Config items that should not appear in k3s_server or k3s_agent
 k3s_config_exclude: