diff --git a/jupyterhub/services/service.py b/jupyterhub/services/service.py
index 207088d7..3c9b965d 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/services/service.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/services/service.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ from traitlets.config import LoggingConfigurable
 
 from .. import orm
 from ..traitlets import Command
-from ..spawner import LocalProcessSpawner
+from ..spawner import LocalProcessSpawner, set_user_setuid
 from ..utils import url_path_join
 
 class _MockUser(HasTraits):
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class _ServiceSpawner(LocalProcessSpawner):
         if not name or name == getuser():
             # no setuid if no name
             return
-        return super().make_preexec_fn(name)
+        return set_user_setuid(name, chdir=False)
 
     def start(self):
         """Start the process"""
diff --git a/jupyterhub/spawner.py b/jupyterhub/spawner.py
index d6f07dc6..bf31ded8 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/spawner.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/spawner.py
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ def _try_setcwd(path):
     os.chdir(td)
 
 
-def set_user_setuid(username):
+def set_user_setuid(username, chdir=True):
     """Return a preexec_fn for spawning a single-user server as a particular user.
 
     Returned preexec_fn will set uid/gid, and attempt to chdir to the target user's
@@ -666,7 +666,8 @@ def set_user_setuid(username):
         os.setuid(uid)
 
         # start in the user's home dir
-        _try_setcwd(home)
+        if chdir:
+            _try_setcwd(home)
 
     return preexec