diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 37a660376..1904596bc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 ### Added
 
 - spark-connect-client: A new image for Spark connect tests and demos ([#1034])
+- nifi: check for correct permissions and ownerships in /stackable folder via
+  `check-permissions-ownership.sh` provided in stackable-base image ([#1027]).
 
 ### Changed
 
@@ -14,9 +16,11 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- nifi: reduce docker image size by removing the recursive chown/chmods in the final image ([#1027]).
 - spark-k8s: reduce docker image size by removing the recursive chown/chmods in the final image ([#1042]).
 - Add `--locked` flag to `cargo install` commands for reproducible builds ([#1044]).
 
+[#1027]: https://github.com/stackabletech/docker-images/pull/1027
 [#1034]: https://github.com/stackabletech/docker-images/pull/1034
 [#1042]: https://github.com/stackabletech/docker-images/pull/1042
 [#1044]: https://github.com/stackabletech/docker-images/pull/1044
diff --git a/nifi/Dockerfile b/nifi/Dockerfile
index 3ca3bfcfc..93daaa019 100644
--- a/nifi/Dockerfile
+++ b/nifi/Dockerfile
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ ARG PRODUCT
 ARG MAVEN_VERSION="3.9.8"
 ARG STACKABLE_USER_UID
 
-RUN microdnf update && \
-    microdnf clean all && \
-    rm -rf /var/cache/yum
+RUN <<EOF
+microdnf update
+microdnf clean all
+rm -rf /var/cache/yum
+EOF
 
 # NOTE: From NiFi 2.0.0 upwards Apache Maven 3.9.6+ is required. As of 2024-07-04 the java-devel image
 # ships 3.6.3. This will update maven accordingly depending on the version. The error is due to the maven-enforer-plugin.
@@ -17,49 +19,66 @@ RUN microdnf update && \
 # [ERROR] Rule 2: org.apache.maven.enforcer.rules.version.RequireMavenVersion failed with message:
 # [ERROR] Detected Maven Version: 3.6.3 is not in the allowed range [3.9.6,).
 #
-WORKDIR /tmp
-RUN if [[ "${PRODUCT}" != 1.* ]] ; then \
-    curl "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/maven/apache-maven-${MAVEN_VERSION}-bin.tar.gz" | tar -xzC . && \
-    ln -sf /tmp/apache-maven-${MAVEN_VERSION}/bin/mvn /usr/bin/mvn ; \
-    fi
+RUN <<EOF
+if [[ "${PRODUCT}" != 1.* ]] ; then
+    cd /tmp
+    curl "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/maven/apache-maven-${MAVEN_VERSION}-bin.tar.gz" | tar -xzC .
+    ln -sf /tmp/apache-maven-${MAVEN_VERSION}/bin/mvn /usr/bin/mvn
+fi
+EOF
 
 USER ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}
 WORKDIR /stackable
 
 COPY --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 nifi/stackable/patches /stackable/patches
 
-RUN curl 'https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/m2/tech/stackable/nifi/stackable-bcrypt/1.0-SNAPSHOT/stackable-bcrypt-1.0-20240508.153334-1-jar-with-dependencies.jar' \
-    # This used to be located in /bin/stackable-bcrypt.jar. We create a softlink for /bin/stackable-bcrypt.jar in the main container for backwards compatibility.
-    -o /stackable/stackable-bcrypt.jar && \
-    # Get the source release from nexus
-    curl "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/nifi/nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip" -o "/stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip" && \
-    unzip "nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip" && \
-    # Clean up downloaded source after unzipping
-    rm -rf "nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip" && \
-    # The NiFi "binary" ends up in a folder named "nifi-${PRODUCT}" which should be copied to /stackable
-    # from /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/nifi-${PRODUCT}-bin/nifi-${PRODUCT} (see later steps)
-    # Therefore we add the suffix "-src" to be able to copy the binary and remove the unzipped sources afterwards.
-    mv nifi-${PRODUCT} nifi-${PRODUCT}-src && \
-    # Apply patches
-    chmod +x patches/apply_patches.sh && \
-    patches/apply_patches.sh ${PRODUCT} && \
-    # Build NiFi
-    cd /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/ && \
-    # NOTE: Since NiFi 2.0.0 PutIceberg Processor and services were removed, so including the `include-iceberg` profile does nothing.
-    # Additionally some modules were moved to optional build profiles, so we need to add `include-hadoop` to get `nifi-parquet-nar` for example.
-    if [[ "${PRODUCT}" != 1.* ]] ; then \
-    mvn --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress clean install -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true -DskipTests --activate-profiles include-hadoop,include-hadoop-aws,include-hadoop-azure,include-hadoop-gcp ; \
-    else \
-    mvn --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress clean install -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true -DskipTests --activate-profiles include-iceberg,include-hadoop-aws,include-hadoop-azure,include-hadoop-gcp ; \
-    fi && \
-    # Copy the binaries to the /stackable folder
-    mv /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/nifi-${PRODUCT}-bin/nifi-${PRODUCT} /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT} && \
-    # Copy the SBOM as well
-    mv /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/bom.json /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}/nifi-${PRODUCT}.cdx.json && \
-    # Remove the unzipped sources
-    rm -rf /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src && \
-    # Remove generated docs in binary
-    rm -rf /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}/docs
+RUN <<EOF
+# This used to be located in /bin/stackable-bcrypt.jar. We create a softlink for /bin/stackable-bcrypt.jar in the main container for backwards compatibility.
+curl 'https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/m2/tech/stackable/nifi/stackable-bcrypt/1.0-SNAPSHOT/stackable-bcrypt-1.0-20240508.153334-1-jar-with-dependencies.jar' \
+    -o /stackable/stackable-bcrypt.jar
+
+# Get the source release from nexus
+curl "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/nifi/nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip" -o "/stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip"
+unzip "nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip"
+
+# Clean up downloaded source after unzipping
+rm -rf "nifi-${PRODUCT}-source-release.zip"
+
+# The NiFi "binary" ends up in a folder named "nifi-${PRODUCT}" which should be copied to /stackable
+# from /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/nifi-${PRODUCT}-bin/nifi-${PRODUCT} (see later steps)
+# Therefore we add the suffix "-src" to be able to copy the binary and remove the unzipped sources afterwards.
+mv nifi-${PRODUCT} nifi-${PRODUCT}-src
+
+# Apply patches
+chmod +x patches/apply_patches.sh
+patches/apply_patches.sh ${PRODUCT}
+
+# Build NiFi
+cd /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/
+
+# NOTE: Since NiFi 2.0.0 PutIceberg Processor and services were removed, so including the `include-iceberg` profile does nothing.
+# Additionally some modules were moved to optional build profiles, so we need to add `include-hadoop` to get `nifi-parquet-nar` for example.
+if [[ "${PRODUCT}" != 1.* ]] ; then
+    mvn --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress clean install -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true -DskipTests --activate-profiles include-hadoop,include-hadoop-aws,include-hadoop-azure,include-hadoop-gcp
+else
+    mvn --batch-mode --no-transfer-progress clean install -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true -DskipTests --activate-profiles include-iceberg,include-hadoop-aws,include-hadoop-azure,include-hadoop-gcp
+fi
+
+# Copy the binaries to the /stackable folder
+mv /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/nifi-${PRODUCT}-bin/nifi-${PRODUCT} /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}
+
+# Copy the SBOM as well
+mv /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src/nifi-assembly/target/bom.json /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}/nifi-${PRODUCT}.cdx.json
+
+# Remove the unzipped sources
+rm -rf /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}-src
+
+# Remove generated docs in binary
+rm -rf /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}/docs
+
+# Set correct permissions
+chmod -R g=u /stackable
+EOF
 
 FROM stackable/image/java-base AS final
 
@@ -83,8 +102,6 @@ COPY --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 nifi/licenses /licenses
 COPY --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 nifi/python /stackable/python
 
 RUN <<EOF
-ln -s /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT} /stackable/nifi
-
 microdnf update
 
 # python-pip: Required to install Python packages
@@ -96,6 +113,7 @@ microdnf clean all
 rm -rf /var/cache/yum
 
 # The nipyapi is required until NiFi 2.0.x for the ReportingTaskJob
+# This can be removed once the 1.x.x line is removed
 pip install --no-cache-dir \
     nipyapi==0.19.1
 
@@ -103,17 +121,30 @@ pip install --no-cache-dir \
 # This can be removed once older versions / operators using this are no longer supported
 ln -s /stackable/stackable-bcrypt.jar /bin/stackable-bcrypt.jar
 
-# All files and folders owned by root group to support running as arbitrary users.
-# This is best practice as all container users will belong to the root group (0).
-chown -R ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /stackable
-chmod -R g=u /stackable
+ln -s /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT} /stackable/nifi
+
+# fix missing permissions / ownership
+chown --no-dereference ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /stackable/nifi
+chmod --recursive g=u /stackable/python
+chmod --recursive g=u /stackable/bin
+chmod g=u /stackable/nifi-${PRODUCT}
+EOF
+
+# ----------------------------------------
+# Checks
+# This section is to run final checks to ensure the created final images
+# adhere to several minimal requirements like:
+# - check file permissions and ownerships
+# ----------------------------------------
+
+# Check that permissions and ownership in /stackable are set correctly
+# This will fail and stop the build if any mismatches are found.
+RUN <<EOF
+/bin/check-permissions-ownership.sh /stackable ${STACKABLE_USER_UID} 0
 EOF
 
 # ----------------------------------------
-# Attention: We are changing the group of all files in /stackable directly above
-# If you do any file based actions (copying / creating etc.) below this comment you
-# absolutely need to make sure that the correct permissions are applied!
-# chown ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0
+# Attention: Do not perform any file based actions (copying/creating etc.) below this comment because the permissions would not be checked.
 # ----------------------------------------
 
 USER ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}
diff --git a/shared/checks/check-permissions-ownership.sh b/shared/checks/check-permissions-ownership.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..7b34009f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/checks/check-permissions-ownership.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Purpose
+#
+# Checks that permissions and ownership in the provided directory are set according to:
+#
+# chown -R ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /stackable
+# chmod -R g=u /stackable
+#
+# Will error out and print directories / files that do not match the required permissions or ownership.
+#
+# Usage
+#
+# ./check-permissions-ownership.sh <directory> <uid> <gid>
+# ./check-permissions-ownership.sh /stackable ${STACKABLE_USER_UID} 0
+#
+
+if [[ $# -ne 3 ]]; then
+    echo "Wrong number of parameters supplied. Usage:"
+    echo "$0 <directory> <uid> <gid>"
+    echo "$0 /stackable 1000 0"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+DIRECTORY=$1
+EXPECTED_UID=$2
+EXPECTED_GID=$3
+
+error_flag=0
+
+# Check ownership
+while IFS= read -r -d '' file; do
+    uid=$(stat -c "%u" "$file")
+    gid=$(stat -c "%g" "$file")
+
+    if [[ "$uid" -ne "$EXPECTED_UID" || "$gid" -ne "$EXPECTED_GID" ]]; then
+        echo "Ownership mismatch:  $file (Expected: $EXPECTED_UID:$EXPECTED_GID, Found: $uid:$gid)"
+        error_flag=1
+    fi
+done < <(find "$DIRECTORY" -print0)
+
+# Check permissions
+while IFS= read -r -d '' file; do
+    perms=$(stat -c "%A" "$file")
+    owner_perms="${perms:1:3}"
+    group_perms="${perms:4:3}"
+
+    if [[ "$owner_perms" != "$group_perms" ]]; then
+        echo "Permission mismatch: $file (Owner: $owner_perms, Group: $group_perms)"
+        error_flag=1
+    fi
+done < <(find "$DIRECTORY" -print0)
+
+if [[ $error_flag -ne 0 ]]; then
+    echo "Permission and Ownership checks failed for $DIRECTORY!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Permission and Ownership checks succeeded for $DIRECTORY!"
diff --git a/stackable-base/Dockerfile b/stackable-base/Dockerfile
index 6735fd52d..f38d5b614 100644
--- a/stackable-base/Dockerfile
+++ b/stackable-base/Dockerfile
@@ -204,6 +204,10 @@ COPY --from=config-utils --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /config-utils/config-ut
 # Debug tool that logs generic system information.
 COPY --from=containerdebug --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /containerdebug/target/release/containerdebug /stackable/containerdebug
 
+# **check-permissions-ownership.sh**
+# Bash script to check proper permissions and ownership requirements in the final Stackable images
+COPY --chown=${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 shared/checks/check-permissions-ownership.sh /bin/check-permissions-ownership.sh
+
 ENV PATH="${PATH}:/stackable"
 
 # These labels have mostly been superceded by the OpenContainer spec annotations below but it doesn't hurt to include them
diff --git a/vector/Dockerfile b/vector/Dockerfile
index e73571b64..058be4c78 100644
--- a/vector/Dockerfile
+++ b/vector/Dockerfile
@@ -14,16 +14,22 @@ ARG STACKABLE_USER_UID
 # This happens by writing a "shutdown file" in a shared volume
 # See https://github.com/stackabletech/airflow-operator/blob/23.4.1/rust/operator-binary/src/airflow_db_controller.rs#L269 for an example
 # The Vector container waits for this file to appear and this waiting happens using `inotifywait` which comes from the `inotify-tools` package
-RUN ARCH="${TARGETARCH/amd64/x86_64}" ARCH="${ARCH/arm64/aarch64}" && \
-    rpm --install \
-        "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/vector/vector-${PRODUCT}-${RPM_RELEASE}.${ARCH}.rpm" \
-        "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/inotify-tools/inotify-tools-${INOTIFY_TOOLS}.${ARCH}.rpm" && \
-    mkdir /licenses && \
-    cp /usr/share/licenses/vector-${PRODUCT}/LICENSE /licenses/VECTOR_LICENSE && \
-    # Create the directory /stackable/vector/var.
-    # This directory is set by operator-rs in the parameter `data_dir`
-    # of the Vector configuration. The directory is used for persisting
-    # Vector state, such as on-disk buffers, file checkpoints, and more.
-    # Vector needs write permissions.
-    mkdir --parents /stackable/vector/var && \
-    chown --recursive ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /stackable/
+RUN <<EOF
+ARCH="${TARGETARCH/amd64/x86_64}"
+ARCH="${ARCH/arm64/aarch64}"
+rpm --install \
+    "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/vector/vector-${PRODUCT}-${RPM_RELEASE}.${ARCH}.rpm" \
+    "https://repo.stackable.tech/repository/packages/inotify-tools/inotify-tools-${INOTIFY_TOOLS}.${ARCH}.rpm"
+mkdir /licenses
+cp /usr/share/licenses/vector-${PRODUCT}/LICENSE /licenses/VECTOR_LICENSE
+
+# Create the directory /stackable/vector/var.
+# This directory is set by operator-rs in the parameter `data_dir`
+# of the Vector configuration. The directory is used for persisting
+# Vector state, such as on-disk buffers, file checkpoints, and more.
+# Vector needs write permissions.
+mkdir --parents /stackable/vector/var
+chown --recursive ${STACKABLE_USER_UID}:0 /stackable/
+# Set correct permissions
+chmod -R g=u /stackable
+EOF