diff --git a/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-transmission-config/run b/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-transmission-config/run
index f6be0fb..e14a951 100755
--- a/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-transmission-config/run
+++ b/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-transmission-config/run
@@ -43,7 +43,14 @@ fi
 # permissions
 chown abc:abc \
     /config/settings.json \
-    /downloads \
-    /downloads/complete \
-    /downloads/incomplete \
-    /watch
+
+if [[ "$(stat -c '%U' /downloads)" != "abc" ]]; then
+    chown abc:abc \
+        /downloads \
+        /downloads/complete \
+        /downloads/incomplete
+fi
+
+if [[ "$(stat -c '%U' /watch)" != "abc" ]]; then
+    chown abc:abc /watch
+fi