diff --git a/selfdrive/common/params.cc b/selfdrive/common/params.cc
index 2abfca11dd..a44933402e 100644
--- a/selfdrive/common/params.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/common/params.cc
@@ -167,6 +167,12 @@ int Params::write_db_value(const char* key, const char* value, size_t value_size
     if (result < 0) {
       goto cleanup;
     }
+  } else {
+    // Ensure permissions are correct in case we didn't create the symlink
+    result = chmod(path.c_str(), 0777);
+    if (result < 0) {
+      goto cleanup;
+    }
   }
 
   // Write value to temp.
diff --git a/selfdrive/common/params.h b/selfdrive/common/params.h
index 926c2c0798..d8c96a8cb2 100644
--- a/selfdrive/common/params.h
+++ b/selfdrive/common/params.h
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 #define ERR_NO_VALUE -33
 
 class Params {
- private:
+private:
   std::string params_path;
 
- public:
+public:
   Params(bool persistent_param = false);
   Params(std::string path);