diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 7b57003..3827422 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ int srv_open(char *basedir, int auto_upgrade)
 
     /* create the queue/ subdir, just in case */
     xs *qdir = xs_fmt("%s/queue", srv_basedir);
-    mkdir(qdir, DIR_PERM);
+    mkdirx(qdir);
 
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
     char *v = xs_dict_get(srv_config, "disable_openbsd_security");
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ d_char *_object_fn_by_md5(const char *md5)
 {
     xs *bfn = xs_fmt("%s/object/%c%c", srv_basedir, md5[0], md5[1]);
 
-    mkdir(bfn, DIR_PERM);
+    mkdirx(bfn);
 
     return xs_fmt("%s/%s.json", bfn, md5);
 }
diff --git a/snac.c b/snac.c
index 3cf146a..3fa4b94 100644
--- a/snac.c
+++ b/snac.c
@@ -30,6 +30,18 @@ int     srv_running = 0;
 int dbglevel = 0;
 
 
+int mkdirx(const char *pathname)
+/* creates a directory with special permissions */
+{
+    int ret;
+
+    if ((ret = mkdir(pathname, DIR_PERM)) != -1)
+        ret = chmod(pathname, DIR_PERM);
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
+
 int valid_status(int status)
 /* is this HTTP status valid? */
 {
@@ -149,7 +161,7 @@ void srv_archive(const char *direction, xs_dict *req,
     xs *dir  = xs_fmt("%s/archive/%s_%s", srv_basedir, date, direction);
     FILE *f;
 
-    if (mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM) != -1) {
+    if (mkdirx(dir) != -1) {
         xs *meta_fn = xs_fmt("%s/_META", dir);
 
         if ((f = fopen(meta_fn, "w")) != NULL) {
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index ab8bf3a..866986c 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ extern int dbglevel;
 
 #define L(s) (s)
 
+int mkdirx(const char *pathname);
+
 int valid_status(int status);
 d_char *tid(int offset);
 double ftime(void);
diff --git a/upgrade.c b/upgrade.c
index 639dcda..a9d231c 100644
--- a/upgrade.c
+++ b/upgrade.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ int snac_upgrade(xs_str **error)
         else
         if (f < 2.1) {
             xs *dir = xs_fmt("%s/object", srv_basedir);
-            mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM);
+            mkdirx(dir);
 
             nf = 2.1;
         }
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ int snac_upgrade(xs_str **error)
                         xs *dir = xs_fmt("%s/object/%c%c", srv_basedir, b[0], b[1]);
                         xs *nfn = xs_fmt("%s/%s", dir, b);
 
-                        mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM);
+                        mkdirx(dir);
                         rename(fn, nfn);
                     }
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ int snac_upgrade(xs_str **error)
                     xs *dir = xs_fmt("%s/hidden", snac.basedir);
 
                     /* create the hidden directory */
-                    mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM);
+                    mkdirx(dir);
 
                     /* rename all muted files incorrectly named .json */
                     xs *spec = xs_fmt("%s/muted/" "*.json", snac.basedir);
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ int snac_upgrade(xs_str **error)
 
                 if (user_open(&snac, v)) {
                     xs *dir = xs_fmt("%s/public", snac.basedir);
-                    mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM);
+                    mkdirx(dir);
 
                     dir = xs_replace_i(dir, "public", "private");
-                    mkdir(dir, DIR_PERM);
+                    mkdirx(dir);
 
                     user_free(&snac);
                 }
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index d64cb64..384fde9 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -143,22 +143,19 @@ int snac_init(const char *basedir)
         }
     }
 
-    if (mkdir(srv_basedir, DIR_PERM) == -1) {
+    if (mkdirx(srv_basedir) == -1) {
         printf("ERROR: cannot create directory '%s'\n", srv_basedir);
         return 1;
     }
 
-    /* force permissions (mkdir also uses 777) */
-    chmod(srv_basedir, DIR_PERM);
-
     xs *udir = xs_fmt("%s/user", srv_basedir);
-    mkdir(udir, DIR_PERM);
+    mkdirx(udir);
 
     xs *odir = xs_fmt("%s/object", srv_basedir);
-    mkdir(odir, DIR_PERM);
+    mkdirx(odir);
 
     xs *qdir = xs_fmt("%s/queue", srv_basedir);
-    mkdir(qdir, DIR_PERM);
+    mkdirx(qdir);
 
     xs *gfn = xs_fmt("%s/greeting.html", srv_basedir);
     if ((f = fopen(gfn, "w")) == NULL) {
@@ -246,7 +243,7 @@ int adduser(const char *uid)
 
     xs *basedir = xs_fmt("%s/user/%s", srv_basedir, uid);
 
-    if (mkdir(basedir, DIR_PERM) == -1) {
+    if (mkdirx(basedir) == -1) {
         printf("ERROR: cannot create directory '%s'\n", basedir);
         return 0;
     }
@@ -259,7 +256,7 @@ int adduser(const char *uid)
 
     for (n = 0; dirs[n]; n++) {
         xs *d = xs_fmt("%s/%s", basedir, dirs[n]);
-        mkdir(d, DIR_PERM);
+        mkdirx(d);
     }
 
     xs *scssfn = xs_fmt("%s/style.css", srv_basedir);