diff --git a/sftpd/handler.go b/sftpd/handler.go
index e3cbc455..4e21afe1 100644
--- a/sftpd/handler.go
+++ b/sftpd/handler.go
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ func (c Connection) Filewrite(request *sftp.Request) (io.WriterAt, error) {
 	defer c.lock.Unlock()
 
 	stat, statErr := os.Stat(p)
-	// If the file doesn't exist we need to create it, as well as the directory pathway
-	// leading up to where that file will be created.
 	if os.IsNotExist(statErr) {
 		if !c.User.HasPerm(dataprovider.PermUpload, filepath.Dir(p)) {
 			return nil, sftp.ErrSSHFxPermissionDenied
@@ -147,12 +145,13 @@ func (c Connection) Filecmd(request *sftp.Request) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return getSFTPErrorFromOSError(err)
 	}
-
 	target, err := c.getSFTPCmdTargetPath(request.Target)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	isHomeDir := c.User.GetRelativePath(p) == "/"
+
 	c.Log(logger.LevelDebug, logSender, "new cmd, method: %v, sourcePath: %#v, targetPath: %#v", request.Method,
 		p, target)
 
@@ -160,12 +159,19 @@ func (c Connection) Filecmd(request *sftp.Request) error {
 	case "Setstat":
 		return c.handleSFTPSetstat(p, request)
 	case "Rename":
+		if isHomeDir {
+			c.Log(logger.LevelWarn, logSender, "renaming root dir is not allowed")
+			return sftp.ErrSSHFxPermissionDenied
+		}
 		if err = c.handleSFTPRename(p, target); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
 		break
 	case "Rmdir":
+		if isHomeDir {
+			c.Log(logger.LevelWarn, logSender, "removing root dir is not allowed")
+			return sftp.ErrSSHFxPermissionDenied
+		}
 		return c.handleSFTPRmdir(p)
 
 	case "Mkdir":
@@ -173,13 +179,15 @@ func (c Connection) Filecmd(request *sftp.Request) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
 		break
 	case "Symlink":
+		if isHomeDir {
+			c.Log(logger.LevelWarn, logSender, "symlinking root dir is not allowed")
+			return sftp.ErrSSHFxPermissionDenied
+		}
 		if err = c.handleSFTPSymlink(p, target); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-
 		break
 	case "Remove":
 		return c.handleSFTPRemove(p)
diff --git a/sftpd/sftpd_test.go b/sftpd/sftpd_test.go
index 6f6da659..bc2ed497 100644
--- a/sftpd/sftpd_test.go
+++ b/sftpd/sftpd_test.go
@@ -2406,6 +2406,37 @@ func TestPermsSubDirsCommands(t *testing.T) {
 	os.RemoveAll(user.GetHomeDir())
 }
 
+func TestRootDirCommands(t *testing.T) {
+	usePubKey := true
+	u := getTestUser(usePubKey)
+	u.Permissions["/"] = []string{dataprovider.PermAny}
+	u.Permissions["/subdir"] = []string{dataprovider.PermDownload, dataprovider.PermUpload}
+	user, _, err := httpd.AddUser(u, http.StatusOK)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unable to add user: %v", err)
+	}
+	client, err := getSftpClient(user, usePubKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("unable to create sftp client: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		defer client.Close()
+		err = client.Rename("/", "rootdir")
+		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Permission Denied") {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error renaming root dir: %v", err)
+		}
+		err = client.Symlink("/", "rootdir")
+		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Permission Denied") {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error symlinking root dir: %v", err)
+		}
+		err = client.RemoveDirectory("/")
+		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Permission Denied") {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected error removing root dir: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+	httpd.RemoveUser(user, http.StatusOK)
+	os.RemoveAll(user.GetHomeDir())
+}
+
 func TestRelativePaths(t *testing.T) {
 	user := getTestUser(true)
 	path := filepath.Join(user.HomeDir, "/")