diff --git a/start-docker.sh b/start-docker.sh
index e214560ea..b0c36c328 100755
--- a/start-docker.sh
+++ b/start-docker.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 chown -R node:node /home/node
+[ -d "$TRILIUM_DATA_DIR" ] && chown -R node:node "$TRILIUM_DATA_DIR"
 su-exec node node ./src/www