diff --git a/src/sftp.js b/src/sftp.js
index f0adc1a93..d46ba7fe0 100644
--- a/src/sftp.js
+++ b/src/sftp.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var apps = require('./apps.js'),
     async = require('async'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:sftp'),
     infra = require('./infra_version.js'),
+    safe = require('safetydance'),
     shell = require('./shell.js');
 
 function startSftp(existingInfra, callback) {
@@ -45,10 +46,14 @@ function rebuild(options, callback) {
                 return;
             }
 
-            dataDirs.push({
-                hostDir: apps.getDataDir(app, app.dataDir),
-                mountDir: `/app/data/${app.id}`
-            });
+            const hostDir = apps.getDataDir(app, app.dataDir), mountDir = `/app/data/${app.id}`;
+            if (!safe.fs.existsSync(hostDir)) {
+                // do not create host path when cloudron is restoring. this will then create dir with root perms making restore logic fail
+                debug(`Ignoring volume for ${app.id} since it does not exist`);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            dataDirs.push({ hostDir, mountDir });
         });
 
         debug('app volume mounts', dataDirs);