diff --git a/recipes/server.rb b/recipes/server.rb
index 2a7e9a69..0270d39b 100644
--- a/recipes/server.rb
+++ b/recipes/server.rb
@@ -34,22 +34,35 @@
 include_recipe "#{cookbook_name}::config"
 
 # move the datadir if needed
-if node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir'] \
-    != node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir'] \
-    && !File.symlink?(node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir'])
-  template '/etc/mysql/move_datadir' do
-    source 'move_datadir.erb'
-    owner 'root'
-    group 'root'
-    mode '0600'
-    notifies :run, 'execute[move-datadir]', :immediately
+if node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir'] !=
+   node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir']
+
+  service 'mysql' do
+    action :nothing
   end
-  execute 'move-datadir' do
+
+  bash 'move-datadir' do
     user 'root'
-    command '/bin/bash /etc/mysql/move_datadir'
-    only_if { File.exist?('/etc/mysql/move_datadir') }
+    code <<-EOH
+    /bin/cp -a #{node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir']}/* \
+               #{node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir']} &&
+    /bin/rm -r #{node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir']} &&
+    /bin/ln -s #{node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir']} \
+               #{node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir']}
+    EOH
     action :nothing
   end
+
+  directory node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir'] do
+    owner 'mysql'
+    group 'mysql'
+    mode 00750
+    action :create
+    notifies :stop, 'service[mysql]', :immediately
+    notifies :run, 'bash[move-datadir]', :immediately
+    notifies :start, 'service[mysql]', :immediately
+    only_if { !File.symlink?(node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir']) }
+  end
 end
 
 # restart the service if needed
diff --git a/templates/default/move_datadir.erb b/templates/default/move_datadir.erb
deleted file mode 100644
index e6bc2ce5..00000000
--- a/templates/default/move_datadir.erb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# Generated by CHEF
-# Local modification will be overriden
-
-/usr/sbin/service mysql stop
-/bin/mv <%= node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir'] %> <%= node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir'] %>
-/bin/ln -s <%= node['mariadb']['mysqld']['datadir'] %> <%= node['mariadb']['mysqld']['default_datadir'] %>
-/usr/sbin/service mysql start