diff --git a/roles/tools/tasks/main.yml b/roles/tools/tasks/main.yml
index 8bf6b99..398571b 100644
--- a/roles/tools/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/tools/tasks/main.yml
@@ -61,16 +61,26 @@
   delay: 10
   until: postfix_status.rc == 0
 
+# Check the host-side mounted config file directly (setup email list fails if file doesn't exist yet)
 - name: Check if noreply mail account exists
+  ansible.builtin.stat:
+    path: "{{ tools_root }}/mailserver/config/postfix-accounts.cf"
+  register: postfix_accounts_file
+
+- name: Check noreply account in postfix-accounts.cf
   ansible.builtin.command: >
-    docker exec mailserver setup email list
-  register: mail_accounts
+    grep -q "noreply@{{ domain_base }}" {{ tools_root }}/mailserver/config/postfix-accounts.cf
+  register: mail_account_check
   changed_when: false
+  failed_when: false
+  when: postfix_accounts_file.stat.exists
 
 - name: Create noreply mail account
   ansible.builtin.command: >
     docker exec mailserver setup email add noreply@{{ domain_base }} {{ mailserver_noreply_password }}
-  when: "'noreply@' + domain_base not in mail_accounts.stdout"
+  when: >
+    not postfix_accounts_file.stat.exists or
+    (mail_account_check.rc is defined and mail_account_check.rc != 0)
 
 - name: Check if DKIM key exists
   ansible.builtin.stat: