diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c352378..5e755ff 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,4 +14,5 @@ First start:
   - example:  `vim users/2000-user1`  <- copy id_rsa.pub contents there
 - use UID >=2000
 - you can also use the `user-add` script
+- the ~/shared/ folder for each is user is also listed in /shared/[user] symlink
 
diff --git a/build/update_users.sh b/build/update_users.sh
index b766f26..0504312 100755
--- a/build/update_users.sh
+++ b/build/update_users.sh
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ function validate_users() {
 
 cd /var/ssh-box/users
 validate_users
-
+mkdir -p /shared/
 for file in *; do
   if [[ "$file" =~ ^([0-9]+)-([a-z][a-z0-9_]*)$ ]]; then
     uid=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}
@@ -83,10 +83,18 @@ for file in *; do
     rm -f "/home/$user/.ssh/authorized_keys"
     get_readme > "/home/$user/README.md"
     mkdir -p "/home/$user/shared" "/home/$user/private"
+    ln -sfT "/shared" "/home/$user/public"
     chown -R "$user":box "/home/$user/shared"
     chown -R "$user":"$user" "/home/$user/private"
     chmod -R u+rwX,g+rwX,o+X "/home/$user/shared"
+    chmod g+s "/home/$user/shared"
     chmod -R u+rwX,g-rwX,o-rwX "/home/$user/private"
+    if [[ -e "/home/$user/.shared.is.listed" ]]; then
+        ln -sfT "/home/$user/shared" "/shared/$user"
+    else
+        echo "rename this file to '.shared.is.listed' to display shared folder in ~/public/" > "/home/$user/.shared.is.not.listed"
+        rm -f "/shared/$user"
+    fi
     chmod 0600 "$file"
     chown $USR "$file"
   fi