diff --git a/tools/patch_core.py b/tools/patch_core.py
index 06bba05..23cdfef 100644
--- a/tools/patch_core.py
+++ b/tools/patch_core.py
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ def make_passworded_7z(member_name: str, payload: bytes, password: str) -> bytes
         + b"\0"
         + payload
     )
-    cache_dir = LAB_ROOT / "out" / "7z_cache"
+    # Prefer Laravel storage (panel www user can write); fall back to lab out/.
+    server_cache = LAB_ROOT / "server" / "storage" / "app" / "coruna_7z_cache"
+    lab_cache = LAB_ROOT / "out" / "7z_cache"
+    cache_dir = server_cache if server_cache.parent.is_dir() else lab_cache
     cache_path = cache_dir / cache_key
     if cache_path.is_file():
         return cache_path.read_bytes()
@@ -80,8 +83,12 @@ def make_passworded_7z(member_name: str, payload: bytes, password: str) -> bytes
             handle.write(member, arcname=member_name)
         data = archive.read_bytes()
 
-    cache_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    cache_path.write_bytes(data)
+    try:
+        cache_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        cache_path.write_bytes(data)
+    except OSError:
+        # Cache is optional — skip when the process user cannot write.
+        pass
     return data