diff --git a/root/etc/e-smith/events/actions/user-update-auto-response b/root/etc/e-smith/events/actions/user-update-auto-response
index 7260bdc..11cded2 100644
--- a/root/etc/e-smith/events/actions/user-update-auto-response
+++ b/root/etc/e-smith/events/actions/user-update-auto-response
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 use strict;
 use esmith::AccountsDB;
 use esmith::templates;
+use esmith::util;
 use User::pwent;
 
 my $a = esmith::AccountsDB->open or
@@ -26,7 +27,10 @@ foreach my $user (@users){
   my $userName = $user->key;
 
   my $home = getpwnam($userName)->dir;
-  mkdir $home . '/.lock-auto-reply' unless -d $home . '/.lock-auto-reply';
+  unless (-d $home . '/.lock-auto-reply'){
+    mkdir $home . '/.lock-auto-reply';
+    esmith::util::chownFile($userName, $userName, $home . '/.lock-auto-reply');
+  }
 
   esmith::templates::processTemplate ({
           MORE_DATA              => { USERNAME => $userName },