diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 2658b7b..a9c6289 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ COPY bootstrap.sh ./
 
 RUN touch /var/log/messages
 
-
 EXPOSE 22
 VOLUME /git/data
 
diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index a5f411b..09f3d7c 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+# stuff from Dockerfile to allow the VOLUME to work: 
+mkdir -p /git/data \
+    && mkdir -p /git/data/keys \
+    && mkdir -p /git/data/users
+
 maybe_build_key(){
     if [ -f "/git/data/keys/ssh_host_$1_key" ]
     then
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index bf4d809..d24c1a9 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,5 @@ services:
     ports:
        - "1234:22"
     volumes:
-       - git_data:/git/data
-volumes:
-    git_data:
-
+       - ./git_data:/git/data