diff --git a/ignition-setup-user.sh b/ignition-setup-user.sh
index 5d29700..db25c0c 100644
--- a/ignition-setup-user.sh
+++ b/ignition-setup-user.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,6 @@ copy_file_if_exists() {
     fi
 }
 
-destination=/usr/lib/ignition
-mkdir -p $destination
-
 # systemd v256 now runs the initrd with ProtectSystem=yes, which makes /usr
 # read-only. Just remount it rw until we have:
 # https://github.com/coreos/ignition/issues/1891
@@ -21,6 +18,9 @@ if [ ! -w /usr ]; then
     mount -o rw,remount /usr
 fi
 
+destination=/usr/lib/ignition
+mkdir -p $destination
+
 if command -v is-live-image >/dev/null && is-live-image; then
     # Live image. If the user has supplied a config.ign via an appended
     # initrd, put it in the right place.