diff --git a/salt/pcap/init.sls b/salt/pcap/init.sls
index 20b9bc2b7..dffeac85c 100644
--- a/salt/pcap/init.sls
+++ b/salt/pcap/init.sls
@@ -18,11 +18,19 @@ include:
 
 # This directory needs to exist regardless of whether STENO is enabled or not, in order for
 # Sensoroni to be able to look at old steno PCAP data
+
+# if stenographer has never run as the pcap engine no 941 user is created, so we use socore as a placeholder.
+# /nsm/pcap is empty until stenographer is used as pcap engine
+{% set pcap_id = 941 %}
+{% set user_list = salt['user.list_users']() %}
+{% if 'stenographer' not in user_list %}
+{%   set pcap_id = 939 %}
+{% endif %}
 pcapdir:
   file.directory:
     - name: /nsm/pcap
-    - user: 941
-    - group: 941
+    - user: {{ pcap_id }}
+    - group: {{ pcap_id }}
     - makedirs: True
 
 pcapoutdir: