diff --git a/base-image/Dockerfile b/base-image/Dockerfile
index bd5808c8..7082888a 100644
--- a/base-image/Dockerfile
+++ b/base-image/Dockerfile
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ ENTRYPOINT ["/srv/start"]
 # Only run these if used as a base image
 # ----------------------
 ONBUILD USER root
-# hardcode for now
+# FIXME (?): user and home folder is hardcoded for now
+# FIXME (?): this line breaks the cache of all steps below
 ONBUILD COPY --chown=jovyan:jovyan . /home/jovyan
 
 ONBUILD RUN echo "Checking for 'binder' or '.binder' subfolder" \
@@ -82,6 +83,15 @@ ONBUILD RUN echo "Checking for 'apt.txt'..." \
         && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/* \
         ; fi
 
+# Copy jupyter_notebook_config.py to /etc/jupyter
+ONBUILD RUN echo "Checking for 'jupyter_notebook_config.py'..." \
+        ; [ -d binder ] && cd binder \
+        ; [ -d .binder ] && cd .binder \
+        ; if test -f "jupyter_notebook_config.py" ; then \
+        mkdir -p /etc/jupyter \
+        && cp jupyter_notebook_config.py /etc/jupyter \
+        ; fi
+
 ONBUILD USER ${NB_USER}
 
 # Create "notebook" conda environment and dask labextensions
@@ -134,16 +144,4 @@ ONBUILD RUN echo "Checking for 'start'..." \
         chmod +x start \
         && cp start /srv/start \
         ; fi
-
-# Copy jupyter_notebook_config.py to /etc/jupyter, which is an action not done
-# with repo2docker.
-ONBUILD USER root
-ONBUILD RUN echo "Checking for config 'jupyter_notebook_config.py'..." \
-        ; [ -d binder ] && cd binder \
-        ; [ -d .binder ] && cd .binder \
-        ; if test -f "jupyter_notebook_config.py" ; then \
-        mkdir -p /etc/jupyter \
-        && cp jupyter_notebook_config.py /etc/jupyter \
-        ; fi
-ONBUILD USER ${NB_USER}
 # ----------------------