diff --git a/debian/php-common.postinst b/debian/php-common.postinst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eeffe65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/php-common.postinst
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+if [ "$1" = "configure" ]; then
+    if ! dpkg-statoverride --list /var/lib/php/sessions; then
+        dpkg-statoverride --update --quiet --add root root 01733 /var/lib/php/sessions
+    fi
+fi
+
+#DEBHELPER#
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/debian/php-common.prerm b/debian/php-common.prerm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64e6377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/php-common.prerm
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+if [ "$1" = "remove" -o "$1" = "purge" ]; then
+    if dpkg-statoverride --list /var/lib/php/sessions; then
+	dpkg-statoverride --remove /var/lib/php/sessions;
+    fi
+fi
+
+#DEBHELPER#
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index c068c32..b78c137 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@ debian/control: debian/control.in debian/rules debian/changelog
 	done;
 	-wrap-and-sort -ab
 
-override_dh_install:
-	mkdir -p debian/$(PHP_COMMON)/var/lib/php/sessions/
-	chmod 01733 debian/$(PHP_COMMON)/var/lib/php/sessions/
-
-	dh_install
+override_dh_fixperms-indep:
+	chmod 01733 debian/php-common/var/lib/php/sessions
+	dh_fixperms -i  -pphp-common -X/var/lib/php/sessions
+	dh_fixperms -i --remaining-packages