diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/crontabs/root b/board/common/overlay/etc/crontabs/root
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b13789179
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/crontabs/root
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S51crond b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S51crond
index 9ede66b829..1a839f71df 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S51crond
+++ b/board/common/overlay/etc/init.d/S51crond
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+sys_conf="/etc/crontabs"
+conf="/data/etc/crontabs"
+
 test -n "$os_version" || source /etc/init.d/base
 
 start() {
     msg_begin "Starting crond"
     
-    mkdir -p /data/etc/crontabs/
+    if [ -d $sys_conf ];  then
+        /usr/sbin/crond -c $sys_conf
+    fi
+
+    mkdir -p $conf
+    /usr/sbin/crond -c $conf
 
-    /usr/sbin/crond
     test $? == 0 && msg_done || msg_fail
 }