diff --git a/web/tunnel/apps.py b/web/tunnel/apps.py
index 1c27f49ef0899a7a0a21df57a28e3ff4d93cff31..9bde22d2c012b096878489522d1694698d020ff4 100644
--- a/web/tunnel/apps.py
+++ b/web/tunnel/apps.py
@@ -40,20 +40,8 @@ class TunnelConfig(AppConfig):
                         "Could not delete k8s service", extra=kwargs, exc_info=True
                     )
                 continue
-            try:
-                log.debug("Create k8s svc")
-                k8s_svc("create", alert_admins=True, **kwargs)
-            except:
-                log.warning(
-                    "Could not create k8s service. Stop/Delete tunnel",
-                    extra=kwargs,
-                    exc_info=True,
-                )
-                try:
-                    stop_and_delete(raise_exception=False, **kwargs)
-                    tunnel.delete()
-                except:
-                    log.exception("Could not stop/delete ssh tunnel", extra=kwargs)
+            log.debug("Create k8s svc")
+            k8s_svc("create", alert_admins=True, raise_exception=False, **kwargs)
 
     def create_user(self, username, passwd, groups=[], superuser=False, mail=""):
         from django.contrib.auth.models import Group
diff --git a/web/tunnel/utils.py b/web/tunnel/utils.py
index 54860f316a41f76b37c1dd145931400dfe29573b..1e10ab8cf21141d898c755f4dd66b3201ff11206 100644
--- a/web/tunnel/utils.py
+++ b/web/tunnel/utils.py
@@ -116,7 +116,18 @@ def run_popen_cmd(
         extra=log_extra,
     )
 
-    with subprocess.Popen(cmd, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE) as p:
+    # gunicorn preload app feature does not use gunicorn user/group but
+    # the current uid instead. Which is root. We don't want to run commands as root.
+    def set_uid():
+        def result():
+            os.setuid(1000)
+            os.setgid(100)
+
+        return result
+
+    with subprocess.Popen(
+        cmd, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, preexec_fn=set_uid()
+    ) as p:
         stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
         returncode = p.returncode