diff --git a/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go b/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
index c0920b6..5772ae9 100644
--- a/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
+++ b/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 func createUserFiles(username string) {
+	// create user directories
+	userPath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s/ttyrec/", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
+	exec.Command("mkdir", "-p", userPath).Run()
+
+	// copy in rc file
+	hackRCLoc := fmt.Sprintf("%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir)
+	hackRCDest := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
+	exec.Command("cp", hackRCLoc, hackRCDest).Run()
+
 	// create necessary directories if they dont exist
 	userpath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
 
diff --git a/nethack-launcher/print_register_screen.go b/nethack-launcher/print_register_screen.go
index 5b527c9..323bfb4 100644
--- a/nethack-launcher/print_register_screen.go
+++ b/nethack-launcher/print_register_screen.go
@@ -72,16 +72,7 @@ func printRegisterScreen(redisClient *redis.Client) {
 			secHash := sha3.Sum512([]byte(sec))
 			redisClient.Set(fmt.Sprintf("user:%s", username), fmt.Sprintf("%x", secHash), 0).Err()
 
-			// create user directories
-			userPath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s/ttyrec/", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
-			exec.Command("mkdir", "-p", userPath).Run()
-
-			// copy in rc file
-			hackRCLoc := fmt.Sprintf("%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir)
-			hackRCDest := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
-			exec.Command("cp", hackRCLoc, hackRCDest).Run()
-
-			// TODO: move the above creation code into the createUserFiles() function
+			// stage user directory and files
 			createUserFiles(username)
 
 			// back to main screen