diff --git a/scripts/common_startup.sh b/scripts/common_startup.sh
index 146956b38e7..f86d6c682b6 100755
--- a/scripts/common_startup.sh
+++ b/scripts/common_startup.sh
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ if [ $SET_VENV -eq 1 ] && [ $CREATE_VENV -eq 1 ]; then
                 conda_activate
             fi
             virtualenv "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"
-            setup_gravity_state_dir
         else
             # If $GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV does not exist, and there is no conda available, attempt to create it.
             if [ -z "$GALAXY_PYTHON" ]; then
@@ -140,7 +139,6 @@ if [ $SET_VENV -eq 1 ] && [ $CREATE_VENV -eq 1 ]; then
             echo "existing environment before starting Galaxy."
             if command -v virtualenv >/dev/null; then
                 virtualenv -p "$GALAXY_PYTHON" "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"
-                setup_gravity_state_dir
             else
                 vvers=16.7.9
                 vurl="https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/source/v/virtualenv/virtualenv-${vvers}.tar.gz"
@@ -167,10 +165,10 @@ urlretrieve('$vurl', '$vsrc')"
                 tar zxf "$vsrc" -C "$vtmp"
                 "$GALAXY_PYTHON" "$vtmp/virtualenv-$vvers/virtualenv.py" "$GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV"
                 rm -rf "$vtmp"
-                setup_gravity_state_dir
             fi
         fi
     fi
+    setup_gravity_state_dir
 fi
 
 # activate virtualenv or conda env, sets $GALAXY_VIRTUAL_ENV and $GALAXY_CONDA_ENV