diff --git a/conf/nginx-alldomains.conf b/conf/nginx-alldomains.conf
index 199a7f87..291d34ed 100644
--- a/conf/nginx-alldomains.conf
+++ b/conf/nginx-alldomains.conf
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
 		alias /usr/local/lib/rainloop/;
 	}
 	location ~ /mail/data/.* {
-		# A ~-style location is needed to give this precedence over the next block.
-		return 403;
+		deny all;
 	}
 	location ~ /mail/.*\.php {
 		# note: ~ has precendence over a regular location block