diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-create b/debian/scripts/koha-create
index 43e7c4ed3b..4f77603067 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-create
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-create
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ then
     fi
     adduser --no-create-home --disabled-login \
         --gecos "Koha instance $username" \
+        --home "/var/lib/koha/$name" \
         --quiet "$username"
 
     # Create the site-specific directories.
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-rebuild-zebra b/debian/scripts/koha-rebuild-zebra
index 7da1066387..3ae693b04f 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-rebuild-zebra
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-rebuild-zebra
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fi
 
 for name in "$@"
 do
-    sudo -u "$name-koha" \
+    sudo -u "$name-koha" -H \
     env PERL5LIB=/usr/share/koha/lib \
         KOHA_CONF="/etc/koha/sites/$name/koha-conf.xml" \
         /usr/share/koha/bin/migration_tools/rebuild_zebra.pl -b -a $opts
diff --git a/misc/migration_tools/rebuild_zebra.pl b/misc/migration_tools/rebuild_zebra.pl
index 37dcaf508d..239d953a47 100755
--- a/misc/migration_tools/rebuild_zebra.pl
+++ b/misc/migration_tools/rebuild_zebra.pl
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ use C4::AuthoritiesMarc;
 #
 
 $|=1; # flushes output
-
+# If the cron job starts us in an unreadable dir, we will break without
+# this.
+chdir $ENV{HOME} if (!(-r '.'));
 my $directory;
 my $nosanitize;
 my $skip_export;