diff --git a/lib/base.php b/lib/base.php
index 9df61da78c..c84d61b321 100644
--- a/lib/base.php
+++ b/lib/base.php
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class OC_UTIL {
 			}
 			$prems=substr(decoct(fileperms($CONFIG_DATADIRECTORY_ROOT)),-3);
 			if(substr($prems,-1)!='0'){
-				chmodr($CONFIG_DATADIRECTORY_ROOT,0770);
+				OC_HELPER::chmodr($CONFIG_DATADIRECTORY_ROOT,0770);
 				clearstatcache();
 				$prems=substr(decoct(fileperms($CONFIG_DATADIRECTORY_ROOT)),-3);
 				if(substr($prems,2,1)!='0'){
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class OC_UTIL {
 			if($CONFIG_ENABLEBACKUP){
 				$prems=substr(decoct(fileperms($CONFIG_BACKUPDIRECTORY)),-3);
 				if(substr($prems,-1)!='0'){
-					chmodr($CONFIG_BACKUPDIRECTORY,0770);
+					OC_HELPER::chmodr($CONFIG_BACKUPDIRECTORY,0770);
 					clearstatcache();
 					$prems=substr(decoct(fileperms($CONFIG_BACKUPDIRECTORY)),-3);
 					if(substr($prems,2,1)!='0'){
@@ -349,27 +349,4 @@ class OC_HOOK{
 		return true;
 	}
 }
-
-function chmodr($path, $filemode) {
-//	 echo "$path<br/>";
-	if (!is_dir($path))
-		return chmod($path, $filemode);
-	$dh = opendir($path);
-	while (($file = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
-		if($file != '.' && $file != '..') {
-			$fullpath = $path.'/'.$file;
-			if(is_link($fullpath))
-				return FALSE;
-			elseif(!is_dir($fullpath) && !chmod($fullpath, $filemode))
-					return FALSE;
-			elseif(!chmodr($fullpath, $filemode))
-				return FALSE;
-		}
-	}
-	closedir($dh);
-	if(chmod($path, $filemode))
-		return TRUE;
-	else
-		return FALSE;
-}
 ?>
diff --git a/lib/helper.php b/lib/helper.php
index 982da7b6cc..c51629f21c 100644
--- a/lib/helper.php
+++ b/lib/helper.php
@@ -113,6 +113,35 @@ class OC_HELPER {
 		$bytes = round( $bytes / 1024, 1 );
 		return "$bytes GB";
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * @brief Recusive editing of file permissions
+	 * @param $path path to file or folder
+	 * @param $filemode unix style file permissions as integer
+	 *
+	 * Makes 2048 to 2 kB.
+	 */
+	function chmodr($path, $filemode) {
+		if (!is_dir($path))
+			return chmod($path, $filemode);
+		$dh = opendir($path);
+		while (($file = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
+			if($file != '.' && $file != '..') {
+				$fullpath = $path.'/'.$file;
+				if(is_link($fullpath))
+					return FALSE;
+				elseif(!is_dir($fullpath) && !chmod($fullpath, $filemode))
+						return FALSE;
+				elseif(!chmodr($fullpath, $filemode))
+					return FALSE;
+			}
+		}
+		closedir($dh);
+		if(chmod($path, $filemode))
+			return TRUE;
+		else
+			return FALSE;
+	}
 }
 
 ?>