diff --git a/app/service/auth_svc.py b/app/service/auth_svc.py
index 9dd6e15aa..7df42e6eb 100644
--- a/app/service/auth_svc.py
+++ b/app/service/auth_svc.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ async def apply(self, app, users):
         except (ValueError, TypeError):
             max_age = None
         try:
-            if os.path.exists(os.path.join('data', cookie_file)):
+            if os.path.exists(cookie_path):
                 secret_key = file_svc._read(cookie_path)
                 self.log.debug('Loaded persistent session key from data/cookie_storage')
             else:
diff --git a/app/service/data_svc.py b/app/service/data_svc.py
index d5e9d8ccf..51d13ca49 100644
--- a/app/service/data_svc.py
+++ b/app/service/data_svc.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     'data/results/*',
     'data/sources/*',
     'data/object_store',
+    'data/cookie_storage',
 )
 
 PAYLOADS_CONFIG_STANDARD_KEY = 'standard_payloads'