diff --git a/src/freedombone-image-customise b/src/freedombone-image-customise
index c20d641f..b875bf4b 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-image-customise
+++ b/src/freedombone-image-customise
@@ -586,7 +586,6 @@ function mesh_client_startup_applications {
 	echo 'dconf write /org/mate/desktop/media-handling/automount-open false' >> $START_DESKTOP
 	echo 'dconf write /org/mate/desktop/screensaver/lock-enabled false' >> $START_DESKTOP
 	chmod +x $START_DESKTOP
-	chroot "$rootdir" chown $MY_USERNAME:$MY_USERNAME $START_DESKTOP
 
 	START_DESKTOP2=$rootdir/home/$MY_USERNAME/.config/autostart/mesh-start.desktop
 	echo '[Desktop Entry]' > $START_DESKTOP2
@@ -595,7 +594,6 @@ function mesh_client_startup_applications {
 	echo "Exec=bash -c '~/mesh-desktop.sh'" >> $START_DESKTOP2
 	echo 'X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true' >> $START_DESKTOP2
 	chmod +x $START_DESKTOP2
-	chroot "$rootdir" chown -R $MY_USERNAME:$MY_USERNAME /home/$MY_USERNAME/.config
 }
 
 function mesh_desktop_icons {
diff --git a/src/freedombone-image-mesh b/src/freedombone-image-mesh
index 576857d0..b313bbe8 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-image-mesh
+++ b/src/freedombone-image-mesh
@@ -507,8 +507,11 @@ function show_desktop_icons {
 	echo 'Terminal=false' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/Desktop/new_identity.desktop
 	echo 'Categories=Application;' >> /home/$MY_USERNAME/Desktop/new_identity.desktop
 
-	chmod +x /home/$MY_USERNAME/Desktop/*
+	# set permissions
+	chmod +x /home/${MY_USERNAME}/Desktop/*
 	chown ${MY_USERNAME}:${MY_USERNAME} /home/$MY_USERNAME/Desktop/*
+	chown -R ${MY_USERNAME}:${MY_USERNAME} /home/$MY_USERNAME/.config
+	chown ${MY_USERNAME}:${MY_USERNAME} /home/$MY_USERNAME/*.sh
 }
 
 function disable_password_logins {