diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 3ac7a1a..1b50204 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ if [ "${1:-}" = "-update" ]; then
         export GOPATH="${INSTALL_DIR}/.go"
         export GOCACHE="${INSTALL_DIR}/.go/build"
         mkdir -p "${GOMODCACHE}" "${GOCACHE}" 2>/dev/null || sudo_if mkdir -p "${GOMODCACHE}" "${GOCACHE}"
+        # Ensure the build cache is owned by the app user (was root from earlier builds).
+        sudo_if chown -R "${APP_USER:-${SUDO_USER:-$(whoami)}}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/.go" 2>/dev/null || true
         CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags="-s -w" -o app .
     else
         warn "Go not found — downloading pre-built binary..."
@@ -201,6 +203,8 @@ if command -v go &>/dev/null; then
     export GOPATH="${INSTALL_DIR}/.go"
     export GOCACHE="${INSTALL_DIR}/.go/build"
     mkdir -p "${GOMODCACHE}" "${GOCACHE}" 2>/dev/null || sudo_if mkdir -p "${GOMODCACHE}" "${GOCACHE}"
+    # Ensure cache is owned by the app user.
+    sudo_if chown -R "$(whoami):$(whoami)" "${INSTALL_DIR}/.go" 2>/dev/null || true
     CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags="-s -w" -o app .
 else
     info "Go not found — downloading pre-built binary..."