diff --git a/internal/resource/user.go b/internal/resource/user.go
index 7c45fbd..ee1dc7d 100644
--- a/internal/resource/user.go
+++ b/internal/resource/user.go
@@ -97,11 +97,12 @@ func (u *User) Notify(m *machine.EventMessage) {
 	case machine.ENTERSTATEEVENT:
 		switch m.Dest {
 		case "start_create":
-			if e := u.Create(ctx); e != nil {
-				if triggerErr := u.stater.Trigger("created"); triggerErr != nil {
-					// transition error
+			if e := u.Create(ctx); e == nil {
+				if triggerErr := u.stater.Trigger("created"); triggerErr == nil {
+					return
 				}
 			}
+			u.State = "absent"
 		case "present":
 			u.State = "present"
 		}
diff --git a/internal/target/decl.go b/internal/target/decl.go
index 2c0fadc..c674c2f 100644
--- a/internal/target/decl.go
+++ b/internal/target/decl.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func NewFileDocTarget(u *url.URL, format string, gzip bool, fileUri bool) DocTar
 		t.Path = filepath.Join(u.Hostname(), u.Path)
 	}
 	if e := t.Open(); e != nil {
-		// open target
+		return nil
 	}
 	return t
 }
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func init() {
 			}
 		}
 		if e := t.Open(); e != nil {
-			// open target
+			return nil
 		}
 		return t
 	})