diff --git a/archivebox/misc/checks.py b/archivebox/misc/checks.py
index aa06ca68..43631297 100644
--- a/archivebox/misc/checks.py
+++ b/archivebox/misc/checks.py
@@ -138,20 +138,25 @@ def check_data_dir_permissions(config=None, **config_kwargs):
     # data_owned_by_default_user = data_dir_uid == DEFAULT_PUID or data_dir_gid == DEFAULT_PGID
     data_owner_doesnt_match = (data_dir_uid != ARCHIVEBOX_USER and data_dir_gid != ARCHIVEBOX_GROUP) if not IS_ROOT else False
     data_not_writable = not (os.path.isdir(DATA_DIR) and os.access(DATA_DIR, os.W_OK))
-    if data_owned_by_root:
+    if data_not_writable:
         STDERR.print(
-            "\n[yellow]:warning: Warning: ArchiveBox [blue]DATA_DIR[/blue] is currently owned by [red]root[/red], it must be changed before archiving can run![/yellow]",
+            f"\n[yellow]:warning: Warning: ArchiveBox [blue]DATA_DIR[/blue] is not writable by ArchiveBox user [blue]{ARCHIVEBOX_USER}:{ARCHIVEBOX_GROUP}[/blue] ({USER}).[/yellow]",
         )
-    elif data_owner_doesnt_match or data_not_writable:
+    elif data_owned_by_root:
+        STDERR.print(
+            "\n[yellow]:warning: Warning: ArchiveBox [blue]DATA_DIR[/blue] appears to be owned by [red]root[/red]. If this is an NFS or mapped volume and writes work, no change is required.[/yellow]",
+        )
+    elif data_owner_doesnt_match:
         STDERR.print(
             f"\n[yellow]:warning: Warning: ArchiveBox [blue]DATA_DIR[/blue] is currently owned by [red]{data_dir_uid}:{data_dir_gid}[/red], but ArchiveBox user is [blue]{ARCHIVEBOX_USER}:{ARCHIVEBOX_GROUP}[/blue] ({USER})! (ArchiveBox may not be able to write to the data dir)[/yellow]",
         )
 
-    if data_owned_by_root or data_owner_doesnt_match or data_not_writable:
+    if data_not_writable:
         STDERR.print(
-            f"[violet]Hint:[/violet] Change the current ownership [red]{data_dir_uid}[/red]:{data_dir_gid} (PUID:PGID) to a non-root user & group that will run ArchiveBox, e.g.:",
+            f"[violet]Hint:[/violet] Change the current ownership [red]{data_dir_uid}[/red]:{data_dir_gid} (PUID:PGID) to the user & group that will run ArchiveBox, e.g.:",
         )
         STDERR.print(f"    [grey53]sudo[/grey53] chown -R [blue]{DEFAULT_PUID}:{DEFAULT_PGID}[/blue] {DATA_DIR.resolve()}")
+        STDERR.print("    Avoid recursive chown on very large archives unless you know the full tree needs repair.")
         STDERR.print()
         STDERR.print("[blue]More info:[/blue]")
         STDERR.print(
diff --git a/bin/docker_entrypoint.sh b/bin/docker_entrypoint.sh
index 5b2706c1..43033a8e 100755
--- a/bin/docker_entrypoint.sh
+++ b/bin/docker_entrypoint.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ export DETECTED_PUID="${DETECTED_OWNER%%:*}"
 export DETECTED_PGID="${DETECTED_OWNER##*:}"
 export PUID="${PUID:-$DETECTED_PUID}"
 export PGID="${PGID:-$DETECTED_PGID}"
+export REQUESTED_PUID="$PUID"
+export REQUESTED_PGID="$PGID"
 
 if [[ ! "$PUID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ || ! "$PGID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
     echo -e "\n[X] Error: PUID and PGID must be numeric, got PUID=$PUID PGID=$PGID." > /dev/stderr
@@ -67,11 +69,14 @@ if [[ ! "$PUID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ || ! "$PGID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
     exit 3
 fi
 
-# If user tries to set PUID or PGID to root values manually, warn but allow it.
+# If user tries to set PUID or PGID to root values, keep root only for entrypoint
+# setup and run ArchiveBox/Chrome as the default non-root user instead.
 if [[ "$PUID" == "0" || "$PGID" == "0" ]]; then
-    echo -e "\n[!] Warning: Got PUID=$PUID and PGID=$PGID, ArchiveBox/Chrome will run as root." > /dev/stderr
-    echo -e "    This is not recommended because root-owned DATA_DIR files may be inaccessible to non-root users later." > /dev/stderr
-    echo -e "    Default is $DEFAULT_PUID:$DEFAULT_PGID. See https://docs.linuxserver.io/general/understanding-puid-and-pgid" > /dev/stderr
+    [[ "$PUID" == "0" ]] && export PUID="$DEFAULT_PUID"
+    [[ "$PGID" == "0" ]] && export PGID="$DEFAULT_PGID"
+    echo -e "\n[!] Warning: Got PUID=$REQUESTED_PUID PGID=$REQUESTED_PGID, but ArchiveBox/Chrome should not run as root." > /dev/stderr
+    echo -e "    The entrypoint will use root only for startup permission repair, then run ArchiveBox as a non-root user." > /dev/stderr
+    echo -e "    Using PUID=$PUID PGID=$PGID. See https://docs.linuxserver.io/general/understanding-puid-and-pgid" > /dev/stderr
 fi
 
 if [[ "$(id -u)" == "0" ]]; then
@@ -193,7 +198,7 @@ find "$PERSONAS_DIR" -type f \( \
 find /tmp "$TMP_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "archivebox-chrome-profile.*" -mmin +30 -exec rm -rf {} + >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     
 
-ensure_runtime_tree "/home/$ARCHIVEBOX_USER"
+ensure_dir "/home/$ARCHIVEBOX_USER"
 ensure_runtime_tree "$PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH"
 ensure_runtime_tree "$TMP_DIR"
 ensure_runtime_tree "$LIB_DIR"
diff --git a/bin/release_dev_stack.sh b/bin/release_dev_stack.sh
index 3386d3b7..140596cf 100755
--- a/bin/release_dev_stack.sh
+++ b/bin/release_dev_stack.sh
@@ -121,10 +121,10 @@ build_and_prek() {
     (
         cd "$repo"
         rm -rf dist
-        uv build
+        uv build --out-dir dist
         uv run prek run --all-files
         rm -rf dist
-        uv build
+        uv build --out-dir dist
     )
 }
 
@@ -136,7 +136,10 @@ commit_push_publish() {
 
     (
         cd "$repo"
-        git add -A -- . ':!dist' ':!dist/**'
+        git add -u
+        while IFS= read -r path; do
+            git add -- "$path"
+        done < <(git ls-files --others --exclude-standard)
         if ! git diff --cached --quiet; then
             git commit -m "release: ${package} ${version}"
         else
@@ -187,20 +190,32 @@ release_python_repo() {
     wait_for_pypi "$package" "$version"
 }
 
-ABXPKG_VERSION="$(next_patch_version "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abxpkg)")")"
-ABX_SHARED_VERSION="$(next_patch_version "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)")" "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)")")"
+if [[ -n "${ABXPKG_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
+    ABXPKG_VERSION="$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+elif [[ "${SKIP_ABXPKG:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
+    ABXPKG_VERSION="$(current_version "$(repo_dir abxpkg)")"
+else
+    ABXPKG_VERSION="$(next_patch_version "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abxpkg)")")"
+fi
+ABX_SHARED_VERSION="${ABX_SHARED_VERSION:-$(next_patch_version "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)")" "$(current_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)")")}"
 
-bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abxpkg)" "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
-release_python_repo abxpkg main abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+if [[ "${SKIP_ABXPKG:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+    bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abxpkg)" "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+    release_python_repo abxpkg main abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+fi
 
-bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)" "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
-set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)" abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
-release_python_repo abx-plugins main abx-plugins "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+if [[ "${SKIP_ABX_PLUGINS:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+    bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)" "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+    set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-plugins)" abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+    release_python_repo abx-plugins main abx-plugins "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+fi
 
-bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
-set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
-set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" abx-plugins "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
-release_python_repo abx-dl main abx-dl "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+if [[ "${SKIP_ABX_DL:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+    bump_patch_to "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+    set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
+    set_dependency_version "$(repo_dir abx-dl)" abx-plugins "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+    release_python_repo abx-dl main abx-dl "$ABX_SHARED_VERSION"
+fi
 
 ARCHIVEBOX_VERSION="$(bump_archivebox_rc)"
 set_dependency_version "$ARCHIVEBOX_REPO" abxpkg "$ABXPKG_VERSION"
diff --git a/etc/package.json b/etc/package.json
index ad5f31f0..bbcad299 100644
--- a/etc/package.json
+++ b/etc/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "archivebox",
-  "version": "0.9.31rc15",
+  "version": "0.9.31rc16",
   "repository": "github:ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox",
   "license": "MIT",
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c73e4e7d..1bb7b3cc 100755
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "archivebox"
-version = "0.9.31rc15"
+version = "0.9.31rc16"
 requires-python = ">=3.13"
 description = "Self-hosted internet archiving solution."
 authors = [{name = "Nick Sweeting", email = "pyproject.toml@archivebox.io"}]
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ dependencies = [
     ### Extractor dependencies (optional binaries detected at runtime via shutil.which)
     ### Binary/Package Management
     "abxbus>=2.5.4",          # EventBus API
-    "abxpkg>=1.10.7",         # for: detecting, versioning, and installing binaries via apt/brew/pip/npm
-    "abx-plugins>=1.10.74",   # shared ArchiveBox plugin package with Chrome/Puppeteer dependency wiring
-    "abx-dl>=1.10.74",        # shared ArchiveBox downloader package with blocking install preflight
+    "abxpkg>=1.10.8",         # for: detecting, versioning, and installing binaries via apt/brew/pip/npm
+    "abx-plugins>=1.10.75",   # shared ArchiveBox plugin package with Chrome/Puppeteer dependency wiring
+    "abx-dl>=1.10.75",        # shared ArchiveBox downloader package with blocking install preflight
     ### UUID7 backport for Python <3.14
     "uuid7>=0.1.0; python_version < '3.14'",  # provides the uuid_extensions module on Python 3.13
 ]