diff --git a/target/scripts/startup/setup-stack.sh b/target/scripts/startup/setup-stack.sh
index 1077dea5..27ed552e 100644
--- a/target/scripts/startup/setup-stack.sh
+++ b/target/scripts/startup/setup-stack.sh
@@ -1621,7 +1621,10 @@ function _setup_user_patches
   if [[ -f ${USER_PATCHES} ]]
   then
     _notify 'tasklog' 'Applying user patches'
-    chmod +x "${USER_PATCHES}"
+    if [[ ! -x ${USER_PATCHES} ]]; then
+      _notify 'inf' 'Making user patches script executable'
+      chmod +x "${USER_PATCHES}"
+    fi
     ${USER_PATCHES}
   else
     _notify 'inf' "No optional '/tmp/docker-mailserver/user-patches.sh' provided. Skipping."