diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index fa9e4fa..788330f 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,21 @@
 accounts:
   users: {}
   groups: {}
+
+defaultgroup:
+  system: true
+  state: present
+  gid: "{{ omit }}"
+
+defaultuser:
+  genssh: false
+  ssh_key_type: ed25519
+  group: ~
+  groups: []
+  system: true
+  home: ~
+  state: present
+  uid: "{{ omit }}"
+  password: "*"
+  shell: "/usr/sbin/nologin"
+  authorized_keys: {}
diff --git a/tasks/groups.yml b/tasks/groups.yml
index 568f570..f2b15d7 100644
--- a/tasks/groups.yml
+++ b/tasks/groups.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-- set_fact:
-    defaultgroup:
-      system: true
-      state: present
-      gid: "{{ omit }}"
-
-- set_fact:
-    group: "{{ defaultgroup|combine(currentgroup.value|d({}), {'name': currentgroup.key} ) }}"
+- name: apply overrides to current group
+  set_fact:
+    group: "{{ {}|combine(defaultgroup, currentgroup.value|d({}), {'name': currentgroup.key} ) }}"
 
 - name: create groups
   group:
diff --git a/tasks/users.yml b/tasks/users.yml
index a02eb3e..ce27078 100644
--- a/tasks/users.yml
+++ b/tasks/users.yml
@@ -1,19 +1,11 @@
-- set_fact:
-    defaultuser:
-      genssh: false
-      ssh_key_type: ed25519
-      group: ~
-      groups: []
-      home: "{{ ('/var/lib/'+currentuser.key) if (currentuser.value.system|d(True)) else ('/home/'+currentuser.key) }}"
-      system: true
-      state: present
-      uid: "{{ omit }}"
-      password: "*"
-      shell: "/usr/sbin/nologin"
-      authorized_keys: {}
+- name: store dynamic defaults
+  set_fact:
+    dynamic_defaultuser:
+      userhome: "{{ ('/var/lib/'+currentuser.key) if (currentuser.value.system|d(True)) else ('/home/'+currentuser.key) }}"
 
-- set_fact:
-    user: "{{ defaultuser|combine(currentuser.value|d({}), {'name': currentuser.key} ) }}"
+- name: apply overrides to current user
+  set_fact:
+    user: "{{ {}|combine(defaultuser, dynamic_defaultuser, currentuser.value|d({}), {'name': currentuser.key} ) }}"
 
 - name: "create user ({{ user.name }})"
   user: