diff --git a/base-notebook/start.sh b/base-notebook/start.sh
index 4abbb1d3..498b8727 100755
--- a/base-notebook/start.sh
+++ b/base-notebook/start.sh
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ if [ "$(id -u)" == 0 ] ; then
         if [[ ! -e "/home/${NB_USER}" ]]; then
             echo "Copying home dir to /home/${NB_USER}"
             mkdir "/home/${NB_USER}"
-            cp -R /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}" || ln -s /home/jovyan "/home/${NB_USER}"
+            cp -a /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