diff --git a/apps/users.lua b/apps/users.lua
index 14afaff..ce35cd4 100644
--- a/apps/users.lua
+++ b/apps/users.lua
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ app:post("user_set_avatar", "/:username/set_avatar", function(self)
   local time = os.time()
   local filename = "u" .. target_user.id .. "d" .. time .. ".webp"
   local proxied_filename = "/avatars/" .. filename
-  local save_path = "static" .. proxied_filename
+  local save_path = "data/static" .. proxied_filename
   local res = util.validate_and_create_image(file.content, save_path)
   if not res then
     util.inject_warn_infobox(self, "Something went wrong. Try again later.")
diff --git a/util.lua b/util.lua
index 723652a..64a9a81 100644
--- a/util.lua
+++ b/util.lua
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ function util.destroy_avatar(avatar_id)
     return
   end
   
-  local file_path = "static" .. avatar.file_path
+  local file_path = "data/static" .. avatar.file_path
   local f = io.open(file_path, "r")
   if not f then
     print("can't open avatar file")