--- libgnome-2.15.1/libgnome/gnome-init.c.stathome	2006-06-13 20:08:05.000000000 +0200
+++ libgnome-2.15.1/libgnome/gnome-init.c	2006-07-10 16:47:03.000000000 +0200
@@ -336,6 +336,8 @@
 static void
 libgnome_userdir_setup (gboolean create_dirs)
 {
+	struct stat statbuf;
+	
 	if(!gnome_user_dir) {
                 const char *override;
 
@@ -398,9 +400,13 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-
+	if (stat (gnome_user_private_dir, &statbuf) < 0) {
+		g_printerr (_("Could not stat private per-user gnome configuration directory `%s': %s\n"),
+			gnome_user_private_dir, strerror(errno));
+		exit(1);
+	}
 	/* change mode to 0700 on the private directory */
-	if (g_chmod (gnome_user_private_dir, 0700) < 0) {
+	if (((statbuf.st_mode & 0700) != 0700 )  && g_chmod (gnome_user_private_dir, 0700) < 0) {
 		g_printerr (_("Could not set mode 0700 on private per-user gnome configuration directory `%s': %s\n"),
 			gnome_user_private_dir, strerror(errno));
 		exit(1);