diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index d4b8679..f0673e1 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ if [ "${1:-}" = "-update" ]; then
         sudo_if mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
         BACKUP_FILE="$BACKUP_DIR/expenses-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).db"
         sudo_if cp "$INSTALL_DIR/expenses.db" "$BACKUP_FILE"
-        # Restore ownership so the app user can still write to the database.
-        sudo_if chown --reference="$INSTALL_DIR/expenses.db" "$BACKUP_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
+        # Restore file ownership so the app user can still write.
+        sudo_if chown $(stat -c "%U:%G" "$INSTALL_DIR/expenses.db") "$BACKUP_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true
         info "Database backed up to $BACKUP_FILE"
     fi