diff --git a/module.nix b/module.nix
index 769a63d..7183d9b 100644
--- a/module.nix
+++ b/module.nix
@@ -126,7 +126,16 @@ in
       services.writefreely = {
         requires = [ "writefreely-sqlite-init.service" ];
         unitConfig.RequiresMountsFor = lib.mkIf sp.useBinds "/volumes/${cfg.location}/writefreely";
-        serviceConfig.Slice = "writefreely.slice";
+        serviceConfig = {
+          Slice = "writefreely.slice";
+          ExecStartPre = [(
+            "+"
+            + (pkgs.writeShellScript "set-writefreely-directory-ownership" ''
+                chmown -R writefreely:writefreely /var/lib/writefreely
+              ''
+            )
+          )];
+        };
         restartTriggers = [ (
           pkgs.writeText "writefreely-restart-trigger"
             (builtins.toJSON config.services.writefreely.settings)