diff --git a/archinstall/lib/installer.py b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
index 19560d75a9..e596f7fead 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/installer.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
@@ -739,6 +739,9 @@ def arch_chroot(self, cmd: str, run_as: str | None = None, peek_output: bool = F
 
 		return self.run_command(cmd, peek_output=peek_output)
 
+	def _chroot_argv(self, *args: str) -> list[str]:
+		return ['arch-chroot', '-S', str(self.target), *args]
+
 	def drop_to_shell(self) -> None:
 		subprocess.check_call(f'arch-chroot {self.target}', shell=True)
 
@@ -987,17 +990,7 @@ def setup_btrfs_snapshot(
 			}
 
 			for config_name, mountpoint in snapper.items():
-				command = [
-					'arch-chroot',
-					'-S',
-					str(self.target),
-					'snapper',
-					'--no-dbus',
-					'-c',
-					config_name,
-					'create-config',
-					mountpoint,
-				]
+				command = self._chroot_argv('snapper', '--no-dbus', '-c', config_name, 'create-config', mountpoint)
 
 				try:
 					SysCommand(command, peek_output=True)
@@ -1336,13 +1329,7 @@ def _add_grub_bootloader(
 
 		boot_dir = Path('/boot')
 
-		command = [
-			'arch-chroot',
-			'-S',
-			str(self.target),
-			'grub-install',
-			'--debug',
-		]
+		command = self._chroot_argv('grub-install', '--debug')
 
 		if SysInfo.has_uefi():
 			if not efi_partition:
@@ -1922,16 +1909,17 @@ def _create_user(self, user: User) -> None:
 		if not handled_by_plugin:
 			info(f'Creating user {user.username}')
 
-			cmd = 'useradd -m'
+			cmd = self._chroot_argv('useradd', '-m')
 
 			if user.sudo:
-				cmd += ' -G wheel'
+				cmd += ['-G', 'wheel']
 
-			cmd += f' {user.username}'
+			cmd += ['--', user.username]
 
 			try:
-				self.arch_chroot(cmd)
-			except SysCallError as err:
+				run(cmd)
+			except CalledProcessError as err:
+				debug(f'Error creating user {user.username}: {err}')
 				raise SystemError(f'Could not create user inside installation: {err}')
 
 		for plugin in plugins.values():
@@ -1942,7 +1930,11 @@ def _create_user(self, user: User) -> None:
 		self.set_user_password(user)
 
 		for group in user.groups:
-			self.arch_chroot(f'gpasswd -a {user.username} {group}')
+			cmd = self._chroot_argv('gpasswd', '-a', user.username, group)
+			try:
+				run(cmd)
+			except CalledProcessError as err:
+				warn(f'Failed to add {user.username} to group {group}: {err}')
 
 		if user.sudo:
 			self.enable_sudo(user)
@@ -1957,7 +1949,7 @@ def set_user_password(self, user: User) -> bool:
 			return False
 
 		input_data = f'{user.username}:{enc_password}'.encode()
-		cmd = ['arch-chroot', '-S', str(self.target), 'chpasswd', '--encrypted']
+		cmd = self._chroot_argv('chpasswd', '--encrypted')
 
 		try:
 			run(cmd, input_data=input_data)
@@ -1969,7 +1961,7 @@ def set_user_password(self, user: User) -> bool:
 	def user_set_shell(self, user: str, shell: str) -> bool:
 		info(f'Setting shell for {user} to {shell}')
 
-		cmd = ['arch-chroot', '-S', str(self.target), 'chsh', '-s', shell, user]
+		cmd = self._chroot_argv('chsh', '-s', shell, user)
 		try:
 			run(cmd)
 			return True
@@ -1979,7 +1971,7 @@ def user_set_shell(self, user: str, shell: str) -> bool:
 
 	def chown(self, owner: str, path: str, options: list[str] | None = None) -> bool:
 		options = options or []
-		cmd = ['arch-chroot', '-S', str(self.target), 'chown', *options, owner, path]
+		cmd = self._chroot_argv('chown', *options, '--', owner, path)
 		try:
 			run(cmd)
 			return True