diff --git a/libraries/entropy/core/settings/base.py b/libraries/entropy/core/settings/base.py
index 1f6ec7bee..2c7e9e2ec 100644
--- a/libraries/entropy/core/settings/base.py
+++ b/libraries/entropy/core/settings/base.py
@@ -1003,11 +1003,11 @@ class SystemSettings(Singleton, EntropyPluginStore):
 
                 branch = split_line[1].strip()
                 data['branch'] = branch
-                if not os.path.isdir(etpConst['packagesbindir']+"/"+branch) \
-                    and (etpConst['uid'] == 0):
-
+                branch_dir = os.path.join(etpConst['packagesbindir'], branch)
+                if not os.path.isdir(branch_dir):
                     try:
-                        os.makedirs(etpConst['packagesbindir']+"/"+branch)
+                        os.makedirs(branch_dir, 0o775)
+                        const_setup_perms(branch_dir, etpConst['entropygid'])
                     except (OSError, IOError,):
                         continue
 
@@ -1103,6 +1103,10 @@ class SystemSettings(Singleton, EntropyPluginStore):
         if tx_limit is not None:
             data['transfer_limit'] = tx_limit
 
+        # validate using mtime
+        for repoid in data['order']:
+            
+
         return data
 
     def _clear_repository_cache(self, repoid = None):
@@ -1247,11 +1251,6 @@ class SystemSettings(Singleton, EntropyPluginStore):
         @rtype: None
         """
 
-        # can't validate if running as user, moreover
-        # users can't make changes, so...
-        if os.getuid() != 0:
-            return
-
         # handle on-disk cache validation
         # in this case, repositories cache
         # if file is changed, we must destroy cache