diff --git a/scripts/deploy-remote.sh b/scripts/deploy-remote.sh
index 7ea83b2..2ad5cbc 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy-remote.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy-remote.sh
@@ -408,6 +408,9 @@ build_compose_image() {
 }
 
 quadlet_unit_dir="$HOME/.config/containers/systemd"
+# dankserver's user manager had no systemd container generator dir before the
+# quadlet migration; every handler that installs a unit must find it present.
+mkdir -p "$quadlet_unit_dir"
 install_quadlet() {
     local service="$1"
     local source_dir="$2"