diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1f13d04..59009bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ It is also possible to configure external authentication sources.
 Requirements
 ------------
 
+Gitea versions older than 1.17.0 are not (fully) supported.
+Depending on the exact configuration, they may or may not work.
+
 If TLS encryption (i.e. HTTPS) is desired, the target system needs to have a suitable X.509 certificate.
 This roles does not handle deploying certificates.
 
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 918d728..b396ad1 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -90,24 +90,6 @@
     state: present
   when: "ansible_facts['service_mgr'] != 'systemd' and gitea_port | int < 1024"
 
-- name: 'create required directories'
-  file:
-    path: "{{ directory.path }}"
-    state: directory
-    owner: "{{ directory.owner | default(gitea_user) }}"
-    group: "{{ directory.group | default(gitea_group) }}"
-    mode: "{{ directory.mode | default('0750') }}"
-  loop:
-    - path: '/etc/gitea'
-      owner: root
-    - path: "{{ gitea_data_path }}"
-    - path: "{{ gitea_custom_path }}"
-      owner: root
-    - path: "{{ gitea_log_path }}"
-  loop_control:
-    loop_var: directory
-    label: "{{ directory.path }}"
-
 - name: 'check if Gitea is already configured'
   stat:
     path: '/etc/gitea/app.ini'
@@ -128,6 +110,29 @@
   loop_control:
     loop_var: secret
 
+- name: 'combine default and custom options'
+  set_fact:
+    _gitea_options: "{{ gitea_default_options | combine(gitea_extra_options, recursive=True) }}"
+
+- name: 'create required directories'
+  file:
+    path: "{{ directory.path }}"
+    state: directory
+    owner: "{{ directory.owner | default(gitea_user) }}"
+    group: "{{ directory.group | default(gitea_group) }}"
+    mode: "{{ directory.mode | default('0750') }}"
+  loop:
+    - path: '/etc/gitea'
+      owner: root
+    - path: "{{ gitea_data_path }}"
+    - path: "{{ _gitea_options['git']['HOME_PATH'] }}"
+    - path: "{{ gitea_custom_path }}"
+      owner: root
+    - path: "{{ gitea_log_path }}"
+  loop_control:
+    loop_var: directory
+    label: "{{ directory.path }}"
+
 - name: 'configure Gitea'
   template:
     dest: '/etc/gitea/app.ini'
@@ -152,7 +157,7 @@
   command: "su {{ gitea_user }} -c 'gpg --batch --generate-key'"
   args:
     warn: false # su is needed, otherwise Ansible might require a password to become the gitea user
-    creates: "{{ gitea_data_path }}/.gnupg/private-keys-v1.d/"
+    creates: "{{ _gitea_options['git']['HOME_PATH'] }}/.gnupg/private-keys-v1.d/"
     stdin: |
       %no-protection
       Key-Type: {{ gitea_signing_key_type }}
@@ -166,7 +171,7 @@
 
 - name: 'configure git command line client'
   ini_file:
-    path: "{{ gitea_data_path }}/.gitconfig"
+    path: "{{ _gitea_options['git']['HOME_PATH'] }}/.gitconfig"
     section: "{{ item.section }}"
     option: "{{ item.option }}"
     value: "{{ item.value }}"
diff --git a/templates/app.ini.j2 b/templates/app.ini.j2
index b09c0db..bba7331 100644
--- a/templates/app.ini.j2
+++ b/templates/app.ini.j2
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {# vim: filetype=ini.jinja2 #}
 {{ ansible_managed | comment }}
 
-{% for key, options in (gitea_default_options | combine(gitea_extra_options, recursive=True)).items() %}
+{% for key, options in _gitea_options.items() %}
 [{{ key }}]
 {% for k, v in options.items() if v != omit %}
 {{ k }} = {{ v }}
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index 12a0399..d90865a 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ gitea_default_options:
   repository:
     ROOT: "{{ gitea_data_path }}/repos"
     SCRIPT_TYPE: "{{ _bin_bash.stat.exists | ternary('bash', 'sh') }}"
+  git:
+    HOME_PATH: "{{ _gitea_options['server']['APP_DATA_PATH'] | default(gitea_data_path) ~ '/data/' }}/home"
   repository.signing:
     SIGNING_KEY: "{{ gitea_enable_signing | bool | ternary('default', 'none') }}"
   server: