diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
index cfc0b74cb..c7508f56f 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/main.yml
@@ -66,7 +66,13 @@
   when: not copy_from_local_path | bool
 
 - name: copy requirements from local path
-  command: cp -a {{ reqs_git_url }} {{ reqs_git_folder }} creates={{ reqs_git_folder }}
+  copy:
+    src: "{{ reqs_git_url }}/"
+    dest: "{{ reqs_git_folder }}/"
+    remote_src: yes
+    force: "{{ update_repos | bool }}"
+    owner: "{{ ansible_env.SUDO_USER | default(ansible_user_id) }}"
+    group: "{{ ansible_user_gid }}"
   when: copy_from_local_path | bool
 
 - include: prepare_libvirt.yml
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-prep-for-install/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-prep-for-install/tasks/main.yml
index a1630ebec..149f1b05f 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-prep-for-install/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-prep-for-install/tasks/main.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@
     - item.source_install | default(true) | bool
 
 - name: "Copy from local path"
-  command: cp -a {{ item.git_url }} {{ item.git_folder }} creates={{ item.git_folder }}
+  copy:
+    src: "{{ item.git_url }}/"
+    dest: "{{ item.git_folder }}/"
+    remote_src: yes
+    force: "{{ update_repos | bool }}"
+    owner: "{{ ansible_env.SUDO_USER | default(ansible_user_id) }}"
+    group: "{{ ansible_user_gid }}"
   loop: "{{ bifrost_install_sources }}"
   when:
     - copy_from_local_path | bool
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/copy_from_local_path-8aff180483e6bced.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/copy_from_local_path-8aff180483e6bced.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f8e78725
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/copy_from_local_path-8aff180483e6bced.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Correctly updates repositories copied with ``copy_from_local_path``.
+  - |
+    When copying repositories using ``copy_from_local_path``, make sure
+    they are consistently owned by the local user. Previously some
+    repositories could end up owned by ``root``.