diff --git a/rootdir/init.rc b/rootdir/init.rc
index d318aa3..dab9027 100644
--- a/rootdir/init.rc
+++ b/rootdir/init.rc
@@ -78,11 +78,10 @@
     mkdir /data/misc/keystore 0770 keystore keystore
     mkdir /data/misc/vpn 0770 system system
     mkdir /data/misc/vpn/profiles 0770 system system
-    mkdir /data/misc/wifi 0770 wifi system
-    chown wifi system /data/misc/wifi
-    touch /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf
+    # give system access to wpa_supplicant.conf for backup and restore
+    mkdir /data/misc/wifi 0770 wifi wifi
+    chmod 0770 /data/misc/wifi
     chmod 0660 /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf
-    chown wifi system /data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf
     mkdir /data/local 0771 shell shell
     mkdir /data/local/tmp 0771 shell shell
     mkdir /data/data 0771 system system