diff --git a/base-notebook/start.sh b/base-notebook/start.sh
index 8b86a604..829d8cea 100755
--- a/base-notebook/start.sh
+++ b/base-notebook/start.sh
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ if [ "$(id -u)" == 0 ] ; then
         # (it could be mounted, and we shouldn't create it if it already exists)
         if [[ ! -e "/home/${NB_USER}" ]]; then
             echo "Relocating home dir to /home/${NB_USER}"
-            mkdir "/home/${NB_USER}" && rsync -avx /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}" || ln -s /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}"
+            mkdir "/home/${NB_USER}" 
+            rsync -avx /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}" || ln -s /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}"
         fi
         # if workdir is in /home/jovyan, cd to /home/${NB_USER}
         if [[ "${PWD}/" == "/home/jovyan/"* ]]; then