diff --git a/archlabs-installer b/archlabs-installer
index 9d138b8..48b197b 100755
--- a/archlabs-installer
+++ b/archlabs-installer
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086,SC2046,SC2254
 
-VER=2.1.44
+VER=2.1.45
 
 # default values {
 
@@ -1603,6 +1603,7 @@ install_base()
 
 install_user()
 {
+	local i=0
 	local groups='audio,video,floppy,log,network,rfkill,scanner,storage,optical,power,wheel'
 	[[ -e $MNT/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvida.conf && -e $MNT/usr/bin/optirun ]] && groups+=',bumblebee'
 
@@ -1618,6 +1619,10 @@ install_user()
 	fi
 
 	echo "Creating new user $NEWUSER and setting password"
+
+	# check if there's an existing user home for new user (separate /home)
+	[[ -d "$MNT/home/$NEWUSER" ]] && i=1
+
 	chrun "useradd -m -u 1000 -g users -G $groups -s /bin/$NEWSHELL $NEWUSER" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
 	errshow 1 "chrun 'useradd -m -u 1000 -g users -G $groups -s /bin/$NEWSHELL $NEWUSER'"
 	chrun "chpasswd <<< '$NEWUSER:$USER_PASS'" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
@@ -1625,6 +1630,9 @@ install_user()
 
 	[[ $INSTALL_WMS == *dwm* ]] && install_suckless "/home/$NEWUSER" chroot
 
+	# upgrade existing home with new skeleton configs
+	[[ $i == 1 ]] && cp -aT "$MNT/etc/skel/" "$MNT/home/$NEWUSER"
+
 	install_cleanup "$NEWUSER"
 
 	return 0
@@ -1760,7 +1768,7 @@ install_packages()
 	for i in ${LOGIN_PKGS[$LOGIN_TYPE]}; do
 		loginpkg+=("$i")
 	done
-	
+
 	if [[ $PACSTRAP -eq 1 ]]; then
 		blk=$(lsblk -f)
 		lspci | grep -qi 'broadcom' && inpkg+=("b43-firmware" "b43-fwcutter" "broadcom-wl")
@@ -1936,7 +1944,7 @@ install_mkinitcpio()
 
 	[[ $LUKS ]] && add+=" encrypt"
 	[[ $LVM ]] && add+=" lvm2"
-	[[ $SWAP ]] && add+=" resume"	
+	[[ $SWAP ]] && add+=" resume"
 	sed -i "s/block filesystems/block${add} filesystems ${HOOKS}/g" "$MNT/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
 	chrun "mkinitcpio -p $KERNEL" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
 	errshow 1 "chrun 'mkinitcpio -p $KERNEL'"