diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 18e8f9ebd9..edc6d91e44 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ _This release is scheduled to be released on 2025-01-01._
 
 - [core] Run code style checks in workflow only once.
 - [core] fix animations export #3644 only on server side
+- [core] fix Access Denied crash writing js/positions.js (on synology nas) #3651. new message, MM starts, but no modules showing, positions list empty
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/js/utils.js b/js/utils.js
index 9536a1b070..d4b90223ed 100644
--- a/js/utils.js
+++ b/js/utils.js
@@ -65,7 +65,12 @@ module.exports = {
 					modulePositions.push(positionName);
 				}
 			});
-			fs.writeFileSync(discoveredPositionsJSFilename, `const modulePositions=${JSON.stringify(modulePositions)}`);
+			try {
+				fs.writeFileSync(discoveredPositionsJSFilename, `const modulePositions=${JSON.stringify(modulePositions)}`);
+			}
+			catch (error) {
+				console.error("unable to write js/positions.js with the discovered module positions\nmake the MagicMirror/js folder writeable by the user starting MagicMirror");
+			}
 		}
 		// return the list to the caller
 		return modulePositions;