diff --git a/src/endpoints/create.rs b/src/endpoints/create.rs
index 2b67782..8c8b1a3 100644
--- a/src/endpoints/create.rs
+++ b/src/endpoints/create.rs
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ pub async fn create(
                     }
                 };
 
-                std::fs::create_dir_all(format!("./pasta_data/{}", &new_pasta.id_as_animals()))
+                std::fs::create_dir_all(format!("./pasta_data/public/{}", &new_pasta.id_as_animals()))
                     .unwrap();
 
                 let filepath = format!(
-                    "./pasta_data/{}/{}",
+                    "./pasta_data/public/{}/{}",
                     &new_pasta.id_as_animals(),
                     &file.name()
                 );
diff --git a/src/endpoints/remove.rs b/src/endpoints/remove.rs
index feae38f..7b95553 100644
--- a/src/endpoints/remove.rs
+++ b/src/endpoints/remove.rs
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ pub async fn remove(data: web::Data<AppState>, id: web::Path<String>) -> HttpRes
         if pasta.id == id {
             // remove the file itself
             if let Some(PastaFile { name, .. }) = &pasta.file {
-                if fs::remove_file(format!("./pasta_data/{}/{}", pasta.id_as_animals(), name))
+                if fs::remove_file(format!("./pasta_data/public/{}/{}", pasta.id_as_animals(), name))
                     .is_err()
                 {
                     log::error!("Failed to delete file {}!", name)
                 }
 
                 // and remove the containing directory
-                if fs::remove_dir(format!("./pasta_data/{}/", pasta.id_as_animals())).is_err() {
+                if fs::remove_dir(format!("./pasta_data/public/{}/", pasta.id_as_animals())).is_err() {
                     log::error!("Failed to delete directory {}!", name)
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 1c18a31..099a2a6 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -63,11 +63,11 @@ async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
         ARGS.port.to_string()
     );
 
-    match fs::create_dir_all("./pasta_data") {
+    match fs::create_dir_all("./pasta_data/public") {
         Ok(dir) => dir,
         Err(error) => {
-            log::error!("Couldn't create data directory ./pasta_data: {:?}", error);
-            panic!("Couldn't create data directory ./pasta_data: {:?}", error);
+            log::error!("Couldn't create data directory ./pasta_data/public/: {:?}", error);
+            panic!("Couldn't create data directory ./pasta_data/public/: {:?}", error);
         }
     };
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
             .service(edit::get_edit)
             .service(edit::post_edit)
             .service(static_resources::static_resources)
-            .service(actix_files::Files::new("/file", "./pasta_data"))
+            .service(actix_files::Files::new("/file", "./pasta_data/public/"))
             .service(web::resource("/upload").route(web::post().to(create::create)))
             .default_service(web::route().to(errors::not_found))
             .wrap(middleware::Logger::default())
diff --git a/src/util/misc.rs b/src/util/misc.rs
index 5ea3a80..d1f4693 100644
--- a/src/util/misc.rs
+++ b/src/util/misc.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub fn remove_expired(pastas: &mut Vec<Pasta>) {
             // remove the file itself
             if let Some(file) = &p.file {
                 if fs::remove_file(format!(
-                    "./pasta_data/{}/{}",
+                    "./pasta_data/public/{}/{}",
                     p.id_as_animals(),
                     file.name()
                 ))
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub fn remove_expired(pastas: &mut Vec<Pasta>) {
                 }
 
                 // and remove the containing directory
-                if fs::remove_dir(format!("./pasta_data/{}/", p.id_as_animals())).is_err() {
+                if fs::remove_dir(format!("./pasta_data/public/{}/", p.id_as_animals())).is_err() {
                     log::error!("Failed to delete directory {}!", file.name())
                 }
             }