--- file_not_specified_in_diff	
+++ file_not_specified_in_diff	
@@ -, +, @@ 
--- a/eclass/webapp.eclass
+++ a/eclass/webapp.eclass
@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@ 
 	fi
 }
 
+webapp_checkdirexists() {
+	debug-print-function $FUNCNAME $*
+
+	local my_prefix=${2:+${2}/}
+
+	if [[ ! -d "${my_prefix}${1}" ]]; then
+		msg="ebuild fault: dir '${1}' not found"
+		eerror "$msg"
+		eerror "Please report this as a bug at http://bugs.gentoo.org/"
+		die "$msg"
+	fi
+}
+
 webapp_check_installedat() {
 	debug-print-function $FUNCNAME $*
 	${WEBAPP_CONFIG} --show-installed -h localhost -d "${INSTALL_DIR}" 2> /dev/null
@@ -236,7 +249,7 @@ 
 	cp "${2}" "${D}/${MY_APPDIR}/postupgrade-${1}.txt"
 }
 
-# helper for webapp_serverowned()
+# helpers for webapp_serverowned()
 _webapp_serverowned() {
 	debug-print-function $FUNCNAME $*
 
@@ -248,6 +261,17 @@ 
 	echo "${my_file}" >> "${D}/${WA_SOLIST}"
 }
 
+_webapp_recursive_serverowned() {
+	debug-print-function $FUNCNAME $*
+
+	webapp_checkdirexists "${1}" "${D}"
+	local my_dir="$(webapp_strip_appdir "${1}")"
+	my_dir="$(webapp_strip_cwd "${my_dir}")"
+
+	elog "(server recursively owned) ${my_dir}"
+	echo "${my_dir}" >> "${D}/${WA_SODLIST}"
+}
+
 # @FUNCTION: webapp_serverowned
 # @USAGE: [-R] <file> [more files ...]
 # @DESCRIPTION:
@@ -257,14 +281,11 @@ 
 webapp_serverowned() {
 	debug-print-function $FUNCNAME $*
 
-	local a m
+	local m
 	if [[ "${1}" == "-R" ]]; then
 		shift
 		for m in "$@"; do
-			find "${D}${m}" | while read a; do
-				a=$(webapp_strip_d "${a}")
-				_webapp_serverowned "${a}"
-			done
+			_webapp_recursive_serverowned "${m}"
 		done
 	else
 		for m in "$@"; do