diff --git a/gravity.sh b/gravity.sh
index aebc58cb..6ffac4b0 100755
--- a/gravity.sh
+++ b/gravity.sh
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ gravity_DownloadBlocklists() {
     unset sources
   fi
 
-  local url domain str target compression adlist_type
+  local url domain str target compression adlist_type directory
   echo ""
 
   # Prepare new gravity database
@@ -423,8 +423,18 @@ gravity_DownloadBlocklists() {
     saveLocation="${piholeDir}/list.${id}.${domain}.${domainsExtension}"
     activeDomains[$i]="${saveLocation}"
 
-    # Check if we can write to the save location file
-    if ! touch "${saveLocation}" 2>/dev/null; then
+    # Check if we can write to the save location file without actually creating
+    # it (in case it doesn't exist)
+    # First, check if the directory is writable
+    directory="$(dirname -- "${saveLocation}")"
+    if [ ! -w "${directory}" ]; then
+      echo -e "  ${CROSS} Unable to write to ${directory}"
+      echo "      Please run pihole -g as root"
+      echo ""
+      continue
+    fi
+    # Then, check if the file is writable (if it exists)
+    if [ -e "${saveLocation}" ] && [ ! -w "${saveLocation}" ]; then
       echo -e "  ${CROSS} Unable to write to ${saveLocation}"
       echo "      Please run pihole -g as root"
       echo ""
@@ -464,6 +474,7 @@ compareLists() {
     if ! sha1sum --check --status --strict "${target}.sha1"; then
       # The list changed upstream, we need to update the checksum
       sha1sum "${target}" >"${target}.sha1"
+      fix_owner_permissions "${target}.sha1"
       echo "  ${INFO} List has been updated"
       database_adlist_status "${adlistID}" "1"
     else
@@ -473,6 +484,7 @@ compareLists() {
   else
     # No checksum available, create one for comparing on the next run
     sha1sum "${target}" >"${target}.sha1"
+    fix_owner_permissions "${target}.sha1"
     # We assume here it was changed upstream
     database_adlist_status "${adlistID}" "1"
   fi