diff --git a/srcpkgs/base-files/INSTALL b/srcpkgs/base-files/INSTALL
index 6b8bb8a3415..3bd7a29ac71 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/base-files/INSTALL
+++ b/srcpkgs/base-files/INSTALL
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@ make_system_dirs() {
 	done
 
 	[ ! -d root ] && install -dm750 root
-	[ ! -d var/spool/mail ] && install -dm1777 var/spool/mail
+
+	# Don't try to create var/mail in the correct place if the user
+	# is updating from an old system that has var/mail as a symlink
+	[ ! -L var/mail ] && [ ! -d var/mail ] && install -dm1777 var/mail
+
+	[ ! -d var/spool ] && install -d var/spool
 
 	for d in local local/bin local/sbin local/include local/lib \
 		bin include lib src; do
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ make_system_dirs() {
 	cd var
 	ln -sf ../run .
 	ln -sf ../run/lock .
-	ln -sfn spool/mail mail
+	[ ! -d spool/mail ] && ln -sfn ../mail spool/mail
 	if [ -L spool/mail/mail -a "$(readlink spool/mail/mail)" = spool/mail ]; then
 		# Get rid of broken symlink created by older versions of base-files.
 		rm spool/mail/mail
diff --git a/srcpkgs/base-files/template b/srcpkgs/base-files/template
index d771dbd8aa9..b7e5b0299df 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/base-files/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/base-files/template
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Template file for 'base-files'
 pkgname=base-files
 version=0.139
-revision=11
+revision=12
 bootstrap=yes
 depends="xbps-triggers"
 short_desc="Void Linux base system files"