diff --git a/readme-vars.yml b/readme-vars.yml
index 08dbd39..01068cf 100644
--- a/readme-vars.yml
+++ b/readme-vars.yml
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ app_setup_block: |
 # changelog
 changelogs:
   - { date: "11.07.21:", desc: "Bump node to 14 to fix builds" }
+  - { date: "05.07.21:", desc: "Fix slow `chown` on large workspace" }
   - { date: "08.05.21:", desc: "Fix doc link" }
   - { date: "04.02.20:", desc: "Allow setting gui password via hash using env var `HASHED_PASSWORD`." }
   - { date: "23.12.20:", desc: "Allow setting sudo password via hash using env var `SUDO_PASSWORD_HASH`." }
diff --git a/root/etc/cont-init.d/30-config b/root/etc/cont-init.d/30-config
index b3f6cd4..32fdf2a 100644
--- a/root/etc/cont-init.d/30-config
+++ b/root/etc/cont-init.d/30-config
@@ -18,5 +18,20 @@ if [ -n "${SUDO_PASSWORD}" ] || [ -n "${SUDO_PASSWORD_HASH}" ]; then
 fi
 
 # permissions
-chown -R abc:abc \
-    /config
+if [ -f "/usr/bin/find" ] && [ -f "/usr/bin/xargs" ]; then
+    # Split workload between config and workspace
+    echo "setting permissions::configuration"
+    CORES=$(nproc --all)
+    find /config -maxdepth 4 -mindepth 1 -path /config/workspace -prune -false -o -type d | \
+        xargs --max-args=1 --max-procs=$(($CORES*2*8)) \
+        chown -R abc:abc
+
+    echo "setting permissions::workspace"
+    chown abc:abc /config/workspace
+    find /config/workspace -maxdepth 4 -mindepth 1 -type d | \
+        xargs --max-args=1 --max-procs=$(($CORES*2*16)) \
+        chown -R abc:abc
+else
+    chown -R abc:abc \
+        /config
+fi