diff --git a/ansible/roles/hpctests/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/hpctests/defaults/main.yml
index 3ea0a0218..d7a31da04 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/hpctests/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/hpctests/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 hpctests_user: "{{ ansible_user }}"
+hpctests_group: "{{ ansible_user }}"
 hpctests_rootdir: "/home/{{ hpctests_user }}/hpctests"
 hpctests_pre_cmd: ''
 hpctests_pingmatrix_modules: [gnu12 openmpi4]
diff --git a/ansible/roles/hpctests/tasks/setup.yml b/ansible/roles/hpctests/tasks/setup.yml
index 248ee29fd..316b32880 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/hpctests/tasks/setup.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/hpctests/tasks/setup.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     path: "{{ hpctests_rootdir }}"
     state: directory
     owner: "{{ hpctests_user }}"
-    group: "{{ hpctests_user }}"
+    group: "{{ hpctests_group }}"
 
 - name: Set fact for UCX_NET_DEVICES
   set_fact: