diff --git a/code_sandboxes/__version__.py b/code_sandboxes/__version__.py
index f84c53b..c3fa782 100644
--- a/code_sandboxes/__version__.py
+++ b/code_sandboxes/__version__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "1.11.0"
+__version__ = "1.11.1"
diff --git a/code_sandboxes/environments/adapters/datalayer.py b/code_sandboxes/environments/adapters/datalayer.py
index 20498d6..73a14a8 100644
--- a/code_sandboxes/environments/adapters/datalayer.py
+++ b/code_sandboxes/environments/adapters/datalayer.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def _contract_user() -> list[str]:
         f"&& if getent passwd {uid} >/dev/null; then "
         f'usermod -l {user} -g {gid} -d {home} "$(getent passwd {uid} | cut -d: -f1)"; '
         f"else useradd -u {uid} -g {gid} -d {home} -s /bin/bash {user}; fi "
-        f"&& mkdir -p {home}/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/external_kernels "
+        f"&& mkdir -p {home}/content {home}/.local/share/jupyter/runtime/external_kernels "
         f"&& chown -R {uid}:{gid} {home}",
         f"ENV HOME={home} LANG={contract.locale} LC_ALL={contract.locale} "
         f"LANGUAGE={contract.locale} TZ=Etc/UTC PATH=$PATH:/opt/datalayer/bin",
diff --git a/tests/test_environment_foreign_contract_layer.py b/tests/test_environment_foreign_contract_layer.py
index c063913..ce006a6 100644
--- a/tests/test_environment_foreign_contract_layer.py
+++ b/tests/test_environment_foreign_contract_layer.py
@@ -489,3 +489,14 @@ def test_an_image_that_is_not_debian_derived_is_said_to_be(self, approved, tmp_p
         base = self._digest("alpine:3.20")
         with pytest.raises(AssertionError, match="not Debian-derived"):
             solve_and_build(approved, tmp_path, image_source("alpine:3.20"), base)
+
+
+def test_the_doctor_of_an_older_base_finds_its_working_directory():
+    """The doctor is copied from the approved base, and a channel's may still
+    check `/home/datalayer/content`: an image of another make has to hold it,
+    the contract's user owning it, before that doctor runs."""
+    from code_sandboxes.environments.adapters.datalayer import _contract_user
+
+    created = next(line for line in _contract_user() if "external_kernels" in line)
+    assert "/home/datalayer/content" in created
+    assert created.index("/home/datalayer/content") < created.index("chown -R")