diff --git a/python/manifests/init.pp b/python/manifests/init.pp
index 649f1b2..37fe4ab 100644
--- a/python/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/python/manifests/init.pp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ define python::setup::install($python="python") {
         path    => "/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin",
         cwd     => "${name}",
         command => "${python} setup.py install",
-        unless  => "test -d build",
+        creates => "${name}/build",
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/svn/manifests/init.pp b/svn/manifests/init.pp
index e501252..5497ca6 100644
--- a/svn/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/svn/manifests/init.pp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ define svn::checkout($source, $ensure="HEAD") {
     exec { "svn-co-${name}":
         path    => "/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin",
         command => "svn checkout --non-interactive -r ${ensure} ${source} ${name}",
-        unless  => "test -d ${name}",
+        creates => "${name}",
         require => [ Package["subversion"], File["/etc/subversion/servers"], ],
     }
 
diff --git a/user/scripts/update-virtual.rb b/user/scripts/update-virtual.rb
index 990f8d5..ed8a400 100755
--- a/user/scripts/update-virtual.rb
+++ b/user/scripts/update-virtual.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class user::virtual {
             command     => "umask 077; mkdir -p ${home} && tar cf - . | tar xf - -C ${home} && chown -R ${uid}:${gid} ${home}",
             cwd         => "/etc/skel",
             path        => "/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin",
-            unless      => "test -d ${home}",
+            creates     => "${home}",
             refreshonly => true,
         }