diff --git a/10/Dockerfile b/10/Dockerfile
index baf9c680c4..3e2407a9ce 100644
--- a/10/Dockerfile
+++ b/10/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/11/Dockerfile b/11/Dockerfile
index 4ca664edb3..494ceb6e8f 100644
--- a/11/Dockerfile
+++ b/11/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/9.3/Dockerfile b/9.3/Dockerfile
index 0edd85437e..02d20e252a 100644
--- a/9.3/Dockerfile
+++ b/9.3/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/9.4/Dockerfile b/9.4/Dockerfile
index 1fe27c61a9..efbccf41de 100644
--- a/9.4/Dockerfile
+++ b/9.4/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/9.5/Dockerfile b/9.5/Dockerfile
index aa51cb541b..de5f9b9152 100644
--- a/9.5/Dockerfile
+++ b/9.5/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/9.6/Dockerfile b/9.6/Dockerfile
index 704807c2e1..02773791c2 100644
--- a/9.6/Dockerfile
+++ b/9.6/Dockerfile
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10
diff --git a/Dockerfile-debian.template b/Dockerfile-debian.template
index f51f6cea28..db2655f594 100644
--- a/Dockerfile-debian.template
+++ b/Dockerfile-debian.template
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ RUN set -ex; \
 	fi
 
 # explicitly set user/group IDs
-RUN groupadd -r postgres --gid=999 && useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 postgres
+RUN set -eux; \
+	groupadd -r postgres --gid=999; \
+# https://salsa.debian.org/postgresql/postgresql-common/blob/997d842ee744687d99a2b2d95c1083a2615c79e8/debian/postgresql-common.postinst#L32-35
+	useradd -r -g postgres --uid=999 --home-dir=/var/lib/postgresql --shell=/bin/bash postgres; \
+# also create the postgres user's home directory with appropriate permissions
+# see https://github.com/docker-library/postgres/issues/274
+	mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql; \
+	chown -R postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql
 
 # grab gosu for easy step-down from root
 ENV GOSU_VERSION 1.10