diff --git a/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service b/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
index 8f49375..e186085 100644
--- a/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
+++ b/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 Type=simple
 User=syncserver
 Group=syncserver
-ExecStartPre=/bin/chown -R syncserver:syncserver /var/lib/syncserver
+ExecStartPre=-/bin/chown -R syncserver:syncserver /var/lib/syncserver
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/syncserver --config /etc/syncserver/config.yaml --data-dir /var/lib/syncserver
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5
diff --git a/packaging/debian/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service b/packaging/debian/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
index 8f49375..e186085 100644
--- a/packaging/debian/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
+++ b/packaging/debian/lib/systemd/system/syncserver.service
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 Type=simple
 User=syncserver
 Group=syncserver
-ExecStartPre=/bin/chown -R syncserver:syncserver /var/lib/syncserver
+ExecStartPre=-/bin/chown -R syncserver:syncserver /var/lib/syncserver
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/syncserver --config /etc/syncserver/config.yaml --data-dir /var/lib/syncserver
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5