diff --git a/playbooks/roles/etherpad/tasks/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/etherpad/tasks/main.yaml
index 7b118328f9..289872891a 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/etherpad/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/etherpad/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@
   template:
     src: settings.json.j2
     dest: /etc/etherpad/settings.json
+    owner: 5001
+    group: 5001
+    mode: '0440'
 
 - name: Clean up from old ep_headings hack
   file:
diff --git a/zuul.d/docker-images/etherpad.yaml b/zuul.d/docker-images/etherpad.yaml
index 2a87898e1d..f74d18f5fa 100644
--- a/zuul.d/docker-images/etherpad.yaml
+++ b/zuul.d/docker-images/etherpad.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
         - context: docker/etherpad
           target: production
           repository: opendevorg/etherpad
+          build_args:
+            - EP_GID=5001
     files: &etherpad_files
       - docker/etherpad/