diff --git a/dashmachine/main/utils.py b/dashmachine/main/utils.py
index 6badb4d..08dd38a 100755
--- a/dashmachine/main/utils.py
+++ b/dashmachine/main/utils.py
@@ -170,14 +170,18 @@ def dashmachine_init():
 
     # create the user_data subdirectories, link them to static
     user_backgrounds_folder = os.path.join(user_data_folder, "backgrounds")
+    backgrounds_folder = os.path.join(images_folder, "backgrounds")
     if not os.path.isdir(user_backgrounds_folder):
         os.mkdir(user_backgrounds_folder)
-        os.symlink(user_backgrounds_folder, os.path.join(images_folder, "backgrounds"))
+    if not os.path.isdir(backgrounds_folder):
+        os.symlink(user_backgrounds_folder, backgrounds_folder)
 
-    icons_folder = os.path.join(user_data_folder, "icons")
+    user_icons_folder = os.path.join(user_data_folder, "icons")
+    icons_folder = os.path.join(images_folder, "icons")
+    if not os.path.isdir(user_icons_folder):
+        os.mkdir(user_icons_folder)
     if not os.path.isdir(icons_folder):
-        os.mkdir(icons_folder)
-        os.symlink(icons_folder, os.path.join(images_folder, "icons"))
+        os.symlink(user_icons_folder, icons_folder)
 
     config_file = os.path.join(user_data_folder, "config.ini")
     if not os.path.exists(config_file):