diff --git a/constructor/osx/run_installation.sh b/constructor/osx/run_installation.sh
index f01e43c5d..9258c12fc 100644
--- a/constructor/osx/run_installation.sh
+++ b/constructor/osx/run_installation.sh
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ fi
 
 # This is not needed for the default install to ~, but if the user changes the
 # install location, the permissions will default to root unless this is done.
-chown -R "$USER" "$PREFIX"
-chown -R "$USER" "${HOME}/.conda"
+chown -R "${USER}" "$PREFIX"
+test -d "${HOME}/.conda" && chown -R "${USER}" "${HOME}/.conda"
 test -f "${HOME}/.condarc" && chown "${USER}" "${HOME}/.condarc"
 
 notify "Done! Installation is available in $PREFIX."
diff --git a/news/820-test-d-chown b/news/820-test-d-chown
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53cd3d796
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/820-test-d-chown
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* Fix a regression in the PKG installers where the installer would fail if `~/.conda` did not exist before trying to fix the directory permissions. (#820)
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* <news item>