diff --git a/src/_nebari/stages/kubernetes_services/template/modules/kubernetes/services/jupyterhub/files/jupyterhub/03-profiles.py b/src/_nebari/stages/kubernetes_services/template/modules/kubernetes/services/jupyterhub/files/jupyterhub/03-profiles.py
index 8ccac70ca..22193e79d 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/stages/kubernetes_services/template/modules/kubernetes/services/jupyterhub/files/jupyterhub/03-profiles.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/stages/kubernetes_services/template/modules/kubernetes/services/jupyterhub/files/jupyterhub/03-profiles.py
@@ -48,10 +48,16 @@ def base_profile_home_mounts(username):
     }
 
     MKDIR_OWN_DIRECTORY = (
-        "mkdir -p /mnt/{path} && chmod 777 /mnt/{path} && cp -r /etc/skel/. /mnt/{path}"
+        "mkdir -p /mnt/{path} && chmod 777 /mnt/{path} && "
+        # Copy skel files/folders not starting with '..' to user home directory.
+        # Filtering out ..* removes some unneeded folders (k8s configmap mount implementation details).
+        "find /etc/skel/. -maxdepth 1 -not -name '.' -not -name '..*' -exec "
+        "cp -rL {escaped_brackets} /mnt/{path} \;"
     )
     command = MKDIR_OWN_DIRECTORY.format(
-        path=pvc_home_mount_path.format(username=username)
+        # have to escape the brackets since this string will be formatted later by KubeSpawner
+        escaped_brackets="{{}}",
+        path=pvc_home_mount_path.format(username=username),
     )
     init_containers = [
         {
diff --git a/tests/tests_deployment/test_jupyterhub_ssh.py b/tests/tests_deployment/test_jupyterhub_ssh.py
index fd6b0799d..1e2822643 100644
--- a/tests/tests_deployment/test_jupyterhub_ssh.py
+++ b/tests/tests_deployment/test_jupyterhub_ssh.py
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ def test_contains_jupyterhub_ssh(paramiko_object):
         ("cat ~/.bashrc", "Managed by Nebari"),
         ("cat ~/.profile", "Managed by Nebari"),
         ("cat ~/.bash_logout", "Managed by Nebari"),
+        # ensure we don't copy over extra files from /etc/skel in init container
+        ("ls -la ~/..202*", "No such file or directory"),
+        ("ls -la ~/..data", "No such file or directory"),
     ]
 
     for command, output in commands_contain: