diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 160204f..9a90436 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ nspawn_cache_map: "{{ _nspawn_cache_map | default({}) }}"
 # default cache is created. This list is merged to create the list of files
 # to copy into the container base image which is captured under the
 # `nspawn_copy_from_host` option.
+
+# NOTICE: With all of the copy options it should be noted that it's using rsync
+#         within the task. If the target being copied is a "directory" the path
+#         should end with a tailing slash.
 nspawn_default_copy_from_host:
   - /etc/default/locale
   - /etc/environment
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
index 63f90a4..22e4f17 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
@@ -58,4 +58,6 @@ _nspawn_cache_map:
   release: xenial
 
 _nspawn_copy_from_host:
-  - /etc/apt
+  - /etc/apt/sources.list
+  - /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/
+  - /etc/apt/preferences.d/
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-18.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-18.04.yml
index 1da12aa..01de84e 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-18.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-18.04.yml
@@ -58,4 +58,6 @@ _nspawn_cache_map:
   release: bionic
 
 _nspawn_copy_from_host:
-  - /etc/apt
+  - /etc/apt/sources.list
+  - /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/
+  - /etc/apt/preferences.d/