diff --git a/target/scripts/start-mailserver.sh b/target/scripts/start-mailserver.sh
index 15e08aec..24a07562 100755
--- a/target/scripts/start-mailserver.sh
+++ b/target/scripts/start-mailserver.sh
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ function _register_functions() {
   _register_setup_function '_setup_logwatch'
 
   _register_setup_function '_setup_save_states'
+  # TODO
   _register_setup_function '_setup_apply_fixes_after_configuration'
+  _register_setup_function '_setup_adjust_state_permissions'
 
   if [[ ${ENABLE_MTA_STS} -eq 1 ]]; then
     _register_setup_function '_setup_mta_sts'
@@ -186,7 +188,10 @@ _check
 # Ensure DMS only adjusts config files for a new container.
 # Container restarts should skip as they retain the modified config.
 if [[ -f /CONTAINER_START ]]; then
-  _log 'info' 'Container was restarted. Skipping setup routines.'
+  _log 'info' 'Container was restarted. Skipping most setup routines.'
+  # We cannot skip all setup routines because some need to run _after_
+  # the initial setup (and hence, they cannot be moved to the check stack).
+  _setup_adjust_state_permissions
 else
   _setup
 fi
diff --git a/target/scripts/startup/setup.d/mail_state.sh b/target/scripts/startup/setup.d/mail_state.sh
index e819c138..d2fed814 100644
--- a/target/scripts/startup/setup.d/mail_state.sh
+++ b/target/scripts/startup/setup.d/mail_state.sh
@@ -83,7 +83,13 @@ function _setup_save_states() {
       # sourced from assocaiated path in /var/mail-state/ ($DEST):
       ln -s "${DEST}" "${SERVICEDIR}"
     done
+  else
+    _log 'debug' "'${STATEDIR}' is not present; Not consolidating state"
+  fi
+}
 
+function _setup_adjust_state_permissions() {
+  if [[ -d ${STATEDIR} ]]; then
     # This ensures the user and group of the files from the external mount have their
     # numeric ID values in sync. New releases where the installed packages order changes
     # can change the values in the Docker image, causing an ownership mismatch.
@@ -119,7 +125,5 @@ function _setup_save_states() {
     # Ref: https://github.com/docker-mailserver/docker-mailserver/pull/3625
     chmod 730 "${STATEDIR}/spool-postfix/maildrop"
     chmod 710 "${STATEDIR}/spool-postfix/public"
-  else
-    _log 'debug' "'${STATEDIR}' is not present; Not consolidating state"
   fi
 }