diff --git a/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/prepare.yml b/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/prepare.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..347673057
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/prepare.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+- name: Run local preparation
+  hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: false
+  tasks:
+    - name: Create scrapes directory
+      ansible.builtin.file:
+        name: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../prometheus/scrapes"
+        state: directory
+        recurse: true
+      check_mode: false
+    - name: Create empty scrape config file
+      ansible.builtin.file:
+        name: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../prometheus/scrapes/empty_scrapes.yml"
+        state: touch
+        mode: 0664
+      check_mode: false
diff --git a/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/tests/test_default.py b/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/tests/test_default.py
index da6305b69..21b39b900 100644
--- a/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/tests/test_default.py
+++ b/roles/prometheus/molecule/default/tests/test_default.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ def AnsibleDefaults():
     "/etc/prometheus/consoles",
     "/etc/prometheus/rules",
     "/etc/prometheus/file_sd",
+    "/etc/prometheus/scrapes",
     "/var/lib/prometheus"
 ])
 def test_directories(host, dirs):
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ def test_directories(host, dirs):
     "/etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml",
     "/etc/prometheus/console_libraries/prom.lib",
     "/etc/prometheus/consoles/prometheus.html",
+    "/etc/prometheus/scrapes/empty_scrapes.yml",
     "/etc/prometheus/web.yml",
     "/etc/systemd/system/prometheus.service",
     "/usr/local/bin/prometheus",