diff --git a/debian/postinst b/debian/postinst
index d7dab6306..c5f578c46 100755
--- a/debian/postinst
+++ b/debian/postinst
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ dpkg-handling() {
       db_get "dokku/hostname"
       echo "Setting VHOST contents to $RET"
       echo "$RET" >"${DOKKU_ROOT}/VHOST"
+      chown dokku:dokku "${DOKKU_ROOT}/VHOST"
     fi
   fi
 
diff --git a/plugins/domains/functions b/plugins/domains/functions
index d32f6e108..79341b6a3 100755
--- a/plugins/domains/functions
+++ b/plugins/domains/functions
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ domains_setup() {
     if [[ -n "$DEFAULT_VHOSTS" ]]; then
       dokku_log_info1 "Creating new app virtual host file..."
       echo "$DEFAULT_VHOSTS" >"$APP_VHOST_PATH"
+      chown "${DOKKU_SYSTEM_USER}:${DOKKU_SYSTEM_GROUP}" "$APP_VHOST_PATH"
     else
       dokku_log_info2 "Global server virtual host not set, disabling app vhost..."
       disable_app_vhost "$APP" --no-restart