--- apps.installer.inc
+++ apps.installer.inc
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ function apps_install_downloads() {
     // credentials. Instead, we instantiate a FileTransferLocal and invoke
     // update_authorize_run_update() directly.
     //if (fileowner($project_real_location) == fileowner(conf_path())) {
-    if (is_writeable(conf_path())) {
+    if (is_writable(drupal_realpath('sites/all/modules'))) {
       module_load_include('inc', 'update', 'update.authorize');
       $filetransfer = new FileTransferLocal(DRUPAL_ROOT);
       apps_run_install($filetransfer, $updates); //this is our change
--- apps.profile.inc
+++ apps.profile.inc
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function apps_profile_install_tasks($install_state, $apps_server) {
       'apps_profile_authorize_transfer_' . $apps_server_name => array(
         'display' => FALSE,
         'type' => 'form',
-        'run' => (!is_writeable(conf_path()) && isset($_SESSION['apps']))?INSTALL_TASK_RUN_IF_NOT_COMPLETED:INSTALL_TASK_SKIP,
+        'run' => (!(is_writable(drupal_realpath('sites/all/modules'))) && isset($_SESSION['apps']))?INSTALL_TASK_RUN_IF_NOT_COMPLETED:INSTALL_TASK_SKIP,
         'function' => 'apps_profile_authorize_transfer',
       ),
       'apps_profile_install_app_modules_' . $apps_server_name => array(