diff --git a/handlers/main.yml b/handlers/main.yml
index 8eb5ee1e..afe20b1a 100644
--- a/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/handlers/main.yml
@@ -37,12 +37,26 @@
     name: "systemd-machined.service"
     state: "restarted"
 
-- name: Start machines mount
+- name: Enable machines mount
   systemd:
     daemon_reload: yes
     name: "var-lib-machines.mount"
     enabled: "yes"
-    state: "started"
+  listen: Start machines mount
+
+# NOTE(cloudnull): The systemd module is not used to start the
+#                  mount because we dont want to "restart" the
+#                  mount unnecessarily. To ensure we're able to
+#                  load new options without requiring a mount
+#                  restart the systemctl command is used with
+#                  the "reload-or-restart" argument.
+- name: Start or reload the machines mount
+  command: "systemctl reload-or-restart var-lib-machines.mount"
+  args:
+    warn: no
+  listen: Start machines mount
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
 
 - name: Restart irqbalance
   service:
diff --git a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation.yml b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation.yml
index 20d8568b..f0208003 100644
--- a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation.yml
+++ b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
   when:
     - (deployment_environment_variables | default({})).keys() | length > 0
 
+- include_tasks: lxc_volume.yml
+
 - include_tasks: "lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_{{ (systemd_version.stdout_lines[0].split()[-1] | int > 219) | ternary('new', 'old') }}.yml"
 
 - block:
diff --git a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_new.yml b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_new.yml
index 639da3e1..2b049d92 100644
--- a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_new.yml
+++ b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_new.yml
@@ -15,21 +15,6 @@
 
 # NOTE(cloudnull): When modern SystemD is running everywhere this can be
 #  collapsed back into the base preparation task file.
-# NOTE(odyssey4me):
-# The size is forced to be set in Gigabytes to maintain compatibility
-#  with the initial implementation done in Pike-Rocky. Do not change
-#  this without implementing some way of converting any pre-existing
-#  value properly during a major upgrade.
-- name: Set volume size
-  shell: machinectl set-limit {{ lxc_host_machine_volume_size | regex_replace('\D*$', '') }}G
-  changed_when: false
-  args:
-    executable: /bin/bash
-
-- name: Disable the machinectl quota system
-  command: "btrfs quota {{ lxc_host_machine_quota_disabled | bool | ternary('disable', 'enable') }} /var/lib/machines"
-  changed_when: false
-
 - name: Remove old image cache
   command: "machinectl remove {{ lxc_container_base_name }}"
   register: cache_refresh
diff --git a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_old.yml b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_old.yml
index 536805b5..a61bcbb2 100644
--- a/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_old.yml
+++ b/tasks/lxc_cache_preparation_systemd_old.yml
@@ -13,101 +13,33 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-# NOTE(cloudnull): This is only used when running SystemD <= 219
-# ==============================================================
-#  In later versions of SystemD this is automatically done for us
-#  by the machinectl cli on first run. To ensure we're handling the
-#  case of a mount point being just offline, we first try and start
-#  the systemd mount unit and then check for the mount points existance.
-- name: Check machinectl mount point
-  shell: |
-    mount -a || true
-    systemctl start var-lib-machines.mount || true
-    sleep 1
-    grep -w '/var/lib/machines' /proc/mounts
-  args:
-    warn: no
-  failed_when: false
-  changed_when: false
-  register: machinectl_mount
-  tags:
-    - skip_ansible_lint
+# In later versions of systemd this is not needed. Referenced in
+#  the following ML post resolves the bug.
+#  * https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/systemd-devel/2015-March/029151.html
+- name: Move machined service into place
+  template:
+    src: systemd-machined.service.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/systemd-machined.service
+  register: machined_unit
+  notify:
+    - Reload systemd units
+    - Restart machined
 
-# NOTE(odyssey4me):
-# The size is forced to be set in Gigabytes to maintain compatibility
-#  with the initial implementation done in Pike-Rocky. Do not change
-#  this without implementing some way of converting any pre-existing
-#  value properly during a major upgrade.
-- name: Create systemd sparse file
-  shell: |
-    truncate -s '>{{ lxc_host_machine_volume_size | regex_replace("\D*$", "") }}G' /var/lib/machines.raw
-
-- name: Old systemd machinectl mount
-  block:
-    # In later versions of SystemD this is automatically done for us
-    #  by the machinectl cli on first run.
-    - name: Format the machines sparse file
-      filesystem:
-        fstype: btrfs
-        dev: /var/lib/machines.raw
-
-    # In later versions of SystemD this is automatically done for us
-    #  by the machinectl cli on first run.
-    - name: Create machines mount point
-      file:
-        path: "/var/lib/machines"
-        state: "directory"
-
-    # In later versions of SystemD this unit file has been corrected
-    #  and is packaged with systemd proper.
-    - name: Move machines mount into place
-      copy:
-        src: var-lib-machines.mount
-        dest: /etc/systemd/system/var-lib-machines.mount
-      register: mount_unit
-      notify:
-        - Start machines mount
-
-    # In later versions of SystemD this is not needed. Referenced in
-    #  the following ML post resolves the bug.
-    #  * https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/systemd-devel/2015-March/029151.html
-    - name: Move machined service into place
-      template:
-        src: systemd-machined.service.j2
-        dest: /etc/systemd/system/systemd-machined.service
-      register: machined_unit
-      notify:
-        - Reload systemd units
-        - Restart machined
-
-    # In later versions of SystemD this is not needed. Referenced in
-    #  the following commit resolves the bug.
-    #  * https://cgit.freedesktop.org/systemd/systemd/commit/src/machine/org.freedesktop.machine1.conf?id=72c3897f77a7352618ea76b880a6764f52d6327b
-    - name: Move machine1 dbus config into place
-      copy:
-        src: org.freedesktop.machine1.conf
-        dest: /etc/dbus-1/system.d/org.freedesktop.machine1.conf
-      register: machine1_conf
-      notify:
-        - Reload systemd units
-        - Restart dbus
-  when:
-    - machinectl_mount.rc != 0
+# In later versions of systemd this is not needed. Referenced in
+#  the following commit resolves the bug.
+#  * https://cgit.freedesktop.org/systemd/systemd/commit/src/machine/org.freedesktop.machine1.conf?id=72c3897f77a7352618ea76b880a6764f52d6327b
+- name: Move machine1 dbus config into place
+  copy:
+    src: org.freedesktop.machine1.conf
+    dest: /etc/dbus-1/system.d/org.freedesktop.machine1.conf
+  register: machine1_conf
+  notify:
+    - Reload systemd units
+    - Restart dbus
 
 # Ensure lxc networks are running as they're supposed to
 - meta: flush_handlers
 
-# NOTE(cloudnull): Because the machines mount may be a manually created sparse
-#                  file we run an online resize to ensure the machines mount is
-#                  the size we expect.
-- name: Ensure the machines fs is sized correctly
-  command: "btrfs filesystem resize max /var/lib/machines"
-  changed_when: false
-
-- name: Disable the machinectl quota system
-  command: "btrfs quota {{ lxc_host_machine_quota_disabled | bool | ternary('disable', 'enable') }} /var/lib/machines"
-  changed_when: false
-
 # Because of this post and it's related bug(s) this is adding the container
 #  volumes the old way. The new way would simply be calling `machinectl`.
 #  * https://www.mail-archive.com/systemd-devel@lists.freedesktop.org/msg28255.html
diff --git a/tasks/lxc_volume.yml b/tasks/lxc_volume.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..84f7dc9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/lxc_volume.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2017, Rackspace US, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+- name: Check machinectl mount point
+  command: mountpoint /var/lib/machines
+  failed_when: false
+  changed_when: false
+  register: machinectl_mount
+
+# NOTE(odyssey4me):
+# The size is forced to be set in Gigabytes to maintain compatibility
+#  with the initial implementation done in Pike-Rocky. Do not change
+#  this without implementing some way of converting any pre-existing
+#  value properly during a major upgrade.
+- name: Set volume size
+  shell: |
+    if ! machinectl set-limit {{ lxc_host_machine_volume_size | regex_replace("\D*$", "") }}G; then
+      truncate -s '>{{ lxc_host_machine_volume_size | regex_replace("\D*$", "") }}G' /var/lib/machines.raw
+    fi
+  changed_when: false
+  register: machines_create
+  args:
+    executable: /bin/bash
+  tags:
+    - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Systemd machinectl mount
+  block:
+    - name: Format the machines sparse file
+      filesystem:
+        fstype: btrfs
+        dev: /var/lib/machines.raw
+
+    - name: Create machines mount point
+      file:
+        path: "/var/lib/machines"
+        state: "directory"
+
+    - name: Move machines mount into place
+      template:
+        src: var-lib-machines.mount
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/var-lib-machines.mount
+      register: mount_unit
+      notify:
+        - Reload systemd units
+        - Start machines mount
+  when:
+    - machinectl_mount.rc != 0
+
+- meta: flush_handlers
+
+- name: Disable the machinectl quota system
+  command: "btrfs quota {{ lxc_host_machine_quota_disabled | bool | ternary('disable', 'enable') }} /var/lib/machines"
+  args:
+    executable: /bin/bash
+  failed_when: false
+  register: machines_create
+  tags:
+  - skip_ansible_lint
+
+- name: Notice quota system was not disabled
+  debug:
+    msg: >-
+      The machinectl quota system could not be disabled. This typically
+      means it is already off or not available on the system.
+  when:
+    - machines_create.rc != 0
+
+# NOTE(cloudnull): Because the machines mount may be a manually created sparse
+#                  file we run an online resize to ensure the machines mount is
+#                  the size we expect.
+- name: Ensure the machines fs is sized correctly
+  command: "btrfs filesystem resize max /var/lib/machines"
+  failed_when: false
+  when:
+    - machines_create is changed
diff --git a/files/var-lib-machines.mount b/templates/var-lib-machines.mount
similarity index 73%
rename from files/var-lib-machines.mount
rename to templates/var-lib-machines.mount
index 0d72c163..4c005003 100644
--- a/files/var-lib-machines.mount
+++ b/templates/var-lib-machines.mount
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ ConditionPathExists=/var/lib/machines.raw
 What=/var/lib/machines.raw
 Where=/var/lib/machines
 Type=btrfs
-Options=loop
\ No newline at end of file
+Options=loop,defaults,noatime,nodiratime,compress=lzo,commit=120,{{ (ansible_kernel is version_compare('4.5', '>=')) | ternary('space_cache=v2', 'space_cache') }}