diff --git a/nethack-launcher/create_initial_files.go b/nethack-launcher/create_initial_files.go
index 9a46221..5f60d98 100644
--- a/nethack-launcher/create_initial_files.go
+++ b/nethack-launcher/create_initial_files.go
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ func createInitialFiles() {
 		exec.Command("cp", config.NethackLauncher.NhdatLocation, config.NethackLauncher.HackDir).Run()
 	}
 
+	// make sure record file exists
+	if _, err := os.Stat(fmt.Sprintf("%s/record", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir)); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		os.OpenFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/record", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir), os.O_RDONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
+	}
+
 	// make sure initial rcfile exists
 	hackRCLoc := fmt.Sprintf("%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(hackRCLoc); os.IsNotExist(err) {
diff --git a/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go b/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
index 5772ae9..81923e2 100644
--- a/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
+++ b/nethack-launcher/create_user_files.go
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@ func createUserFiles(username string) {
 	// create necessary files if they dont exist
 	os.OpenFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/logfile", userpath), os.O_RDONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
 	os.OpenFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/perm", userpath), os.O_RDONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
-	os.OpenFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/record", userpath), os.O_RDONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
 	os.OpenFile(fmt.Sprintf("%s/xlogfile", userpath), os.O_RDONLY|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
 
+	// create record symlink
+	exec.Command("ln", "-s", fmt.Sprintf("%s/record", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir), fmt.Sprintf("%s/record", userpath)).Run()
+
 	// move in nhdat file if it does not exist
 	exec.Command("cp", fmt.Sprintf("%s/nhdat", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir), userpath).Run()
 }