diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
index 1cfe478f..1dce8168 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
@@ -270,16 +270,12 @@ def _configure_opendkim(domain: str, dkim_selector: str = "dkim") -> bool:
 
 
 class OpendkimDeployer(Deployer):
+    required_users = [("opendkim", None, ["opendkim"])]
+
     def __init__(self, *, mail_domain, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
         self.mail_domain = mail_domain
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def required_users():
-        return [
-            ("opendkim", None, ["opendkim"]),
-        ]
-
     @staticmethod
     def install_impl():
         apt.packages(
@@ -425,16 +421,13 @@ def _configure_postfix(config: Config, debug: bool = False) -> bool:
 
 
 class PostfixDeployer(Deployer):
+    required_users = [("postfix", None, ["opendkim"]),]
+
     def __init__(self, *, config, disable_mail, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
         self.config = config
         self.disable_mail = disable_mail
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def required_users():
-        return [
-            ("postfix", None, ["opendkim"]),
-        ]
 
     @staticmethod
     def install_impl():
@@ -1005,17 +998,14 @@ class ChatmailVenvDeployer(Deployer):
 
 
 class ChatmailDeployer(Deployer):
-    def __init__(self, *, mail_domain, **kwargs):
-        super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self.mail_domain = mail_domain
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def required_users():
-        return [
+    required_users = [
             ("vmail", "vmail", None),
             ("echobot", None, None),
             ("iroh", None, None),
-        ]
+    ]
+    def __init__(self, *, mail_domain, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(**kwargs)
+        self.mail_domain = mail_domain
 
     @staticmethod
     def install_impl():
@@ -1146,10 +1136,6 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool) -> None:
         MtailDeployer(mtail_address=config.mtail_address),
     ]
 
-    #
-    # Create all groups before users, because some users reference groups
-    # from other classes.
-    #
     for deployer in all_deployers:
         deployer.install()
 
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployer.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployer.py
index 7ef0afa4..f6355d5b 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployer.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployer.py
@@ -4,27 +4,21 @@ from pyinfra.operations import server
 
 
 class Deployer:
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+
+    def __init__(self):
         default_stages = "install,configure,activate"
         self.stages = os.getenv("CMDEPLOY_STAGES", default_stages).split(",")
         self.need_restart = False
 
-    #
-    # In any override, this method should return a list of 3-element
-    # (user, group, secondary-group-list) tuples.  If the group is None,
-    # no group is created corresponding to that user.  If the secondary
-    # group list is not None, the listed groups are created as well.
-    #
-    @staticmethod
-    def required_users():
-        return []
-
     def install(self):
         if "install" not in self.stages:
             return
 
-        # create groups
-        for user, group, groups in self.required_users():
+        # optional 'required_users' contains a list of (user, group, secondary-group-list) tuples.
+        # If the group is None, no group is created corresponding to that user.
+        # If the secondary group list is not None, all listed groups are created as well.
+        required_users = getattr(self, "required_users", [])
+        for user, group, groups in required_users:
             if group is not None:
                 server.group(
                     name="Create {} group".format(group), group=group, system=True
@@ -34,9 +28,6 @@ class Deployer:
                     server.group(
                         name="Create {} group".format(group2), group=group2, system=True
                     )
-
-        # create users
-        for user, group, groups in self.required_users():
             server.user(
                 name="Create {} user".format(user),
                 user=user,