diff --git a/build/Dockerfile.nginx b/build/Dockerfile.nginx
index 3dee0258a..359370903 100644
--- a/build/Dockerfile.nginx
+++ b/build/Dockerfile.nginx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ ARG NGINX_CONF_DIR
 ARG BUILD_AGENT
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache libcap \
-    && mkdir -p /var/lib/nginx /usr/lib/nginx/modules \
+    && mkdir -p /usr/lib/nginx/modules \
 	&& setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx \
 	&& setcap -v 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx \
     && setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx-debug \
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ COPY ${NGINX_CONF_DIR}/nginx.conf /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 COPY ${NGINX_CONF_DIR}/grpc-error-locations.conf /etc/nginx/grpc-error-locations.conf
 COPY ${NGINX_CONF_DIR}/grpc-error-pages.conf /etc/nginx/grpc-error-pages.conf
 
-RUN chown -R 101:1001 /etc/nginx /var/cache/nginx /var/lib/nginx
+RUN chown -R 101:1001 /etc/nginx /var/cache/nginx
 
 LABEL org.nginx.ngf.image.build.agent="${BUILD_AGENT}"
 
diff --git a/build/Dockerfile.nginxplus b/build/Dockerfile.nginxplus
index 192f7839f..83ab1cce5 100644
--- a/build/Dockerfile.nginxplus
+++ b/build/Dockerfile.nginxplus
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ RUN --mount=type=secret,id=nginx-repo.crt,dst=/etc/apk/cert.pem,mode=0644 \
     && adduser -S -D -H -u 101 -h /var/cache/nginx -s /sbin/nologin -G nginx -g nginx nginx \
     && printf "%s\n" "https://pkgs.nginx.com/plus/${NGINX_PLUS_VERSION}/alpine/v$(grep -E -o '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' /etc/alpine-release)/main" >> /etc/apk/repositories \
     && apk add --no-cache nginx-plus nginx-plus-module-njs nginx-plus-module-otel libcap \
-    && mkdir -p /var/lib/nginx /usr/lib/nginx/modules \
+    && mkdir -p /usr/lib/nginx/modules \
 	&& setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx \
 	&& setcap -v 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx \
     && setcap 'cap_net_bind_service=+ep' /usr/sbin/nginx-debug \
diff --git a/charts/nginx-gateway-fabric/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/nginx-gateway-fabric/templates/deployment.yaml
index 92ee1eb7c..0985a5bc2 100644
--- a/charts/nginx-gateway-fabric/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/nginx-gateway-fabric/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -222,11 +222,11 @@ spec:
           mountPath: /var/run/nginx
         - name: nginx-cache
           mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
-        - name: nginx-lib
-          mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
         - name: nginx-includes
           mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
         {{- if .Values.nginx.plus }}
+        - name: nginx-lib
+          mountPath: /var/lib/nginx/state
           {{- if .Values.nginx.usage.secretName }}
         - name: nginx-plus-license
           mountPath: /etc/nginx/license.jwt
@@ -278,14 +278,14 @@ spec:
         emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-cache
         emptyDir: {}
-      - name: nginx-lib
-        emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-includes
         emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
         configMap:
           name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
       {{- if .Values.nginx.plus }}
+      - name: nginx-lib
+        emptyDir: {}
         {{- if .Values.nginx.usage.secretName }}
       - name: nginx-plus-license
         secret:
diff --git a/config/tests/static-deployment.yaml b/config/tests/static-deployment.yaml
index c1aac6dff..0ae1bcfc0 100644
--- a/config/tests/static-deployment.yaml
+++ b/config/tests/static-deployment.yaml
@@ -141,8 +141,6 @@ spec:
           mountPath: /var/run/nginx
         - name: nginx-cache
           mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
-        - name: nginx-lib
-          mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
         - name: nginx-includes
           mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
       terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 30
@@ -164,8 +162,6 @@ spec:
         emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-cache
         emptyDir: {}
-      - name: nginx-lib
-        emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-includes
         emptyDir: {}
       - name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
diff --git a/deploy/aws-nlb/deploy.yaml b/deploy/aws-nlb/deploy.yaml
index 53de84437..4f367638b 100644
--- a/deploy/aws-nlb/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/aws-nlb/deploy.yaml
@@ -301,8 +301,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -351,8 +349,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/azure/deploy.yaml b/deploy/azure/deploy.yaml
index 1b365b557..f4916da3f 100644
--- a/deploy/azure/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/azure/deploy.yaml
@@ -298,8 +298,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -350,8 +348,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/default/deploy.yaml b/deploy/default/deploy.yaml
index 189252059..88aae1eed 100644
--- a/deploy/default/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/default/deploy.yaml
@@ -298,8 +298,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -348,8 +346,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/experimental-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml b/deploy/experimental-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
index 0b155ec02..c2bcbafe0 100644
--- a/deploy/experimental-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/experimental-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
@@ -318,10 +318,10 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
+        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx/state
+          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/license.jwt
           name: nginx-plus-license
           subPath: license.jwt
@@ -373,13 +373,13 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
           name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
         name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
+      - emptyDir: {}
+        name: nginx-lib
       - name: nginx-plus-license
         secret:
           secretName: nplus-license
diff --git a/deploy/experimental/deploy.yaml b/deploy/experimental/deploy.yaml
index 6580c470e..be6220747 100644
--- a/deploy/experimental/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/experimental/deploy.yaml
@@ -304,8 +304,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -354,8 +352,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/nginx-plus/deploy.yaml b/deploy/nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
index 145c89722..f31b0da07 100644
--- a/deploy/nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
@@ -312,10 +312,10 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
+        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx/state
+          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/license.jwt
           name: nginx-plus-license
           subPath: license.jwt
@@ -367,13 +367,13 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
           name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
         name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
+      - emptyDir: {}
+        name: nginx-lib
       - name: nginx-plus-license
         secret:
           secretName: nplus-license
diff --git a/deploy/nodeport/deploy.yaml b/deploy/nodeport/deploy.yaml
index 8ba5d32da..25b6210ed 100644
--- a/deploy/nodeport/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/nodeport/deploy.yaml
@@ -298,8 +298,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -348,8 +346,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/openshift/deploy.yaml b/deploy/openshift/deploy.yaml
index 7ed4a4a17..8231de661 100644
--- a/deploy/openshift/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/openshift/deploy.yaml
@@ -306,8 +306,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -356,8 +354,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
diff --git a/deploy/snippets-filters-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml b/deploy/snippets-filters-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
index 8bbb1a127..4a68115cc 100644
--- a/deploy/snippets-filters-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/snippets-filters-nginx-plus/deploy.yaml
@@ -315,10 +315,10 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
+        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx/state
+          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/license.jwt
           name: nginx-plus-license
           subPath: license.jwt
@@ -370,13 +370,13 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap:
           name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
         name: nginx-includes-bootstrap
+      - emptyDir: {}
+        name: nginx-lib
       - name: nginx-plus-license
         secret:
           secretName: nplus-license
diff --git a/deploy/snippets-filters/deploy.yaml b/deploy/snippets-filters/deploy.yaml
index b623a668f..e6fd79ce2 100644
--- a/deploy/snippets-filters/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/snippets-filters/deploy.yaml
@@ -301,8 +301,6 @@ spec:
           name: nginx-run
         - mountPath: /var/cache/nginx
           name: nginx-cache
-        - mountPath: /var/lib/nginx
-          name: nginx-lib
         - mountPath: /etc/nginx/includes
           name: nginx-includes
       initContainers:
@@ -351,8 +349,6 @@ spec:
         name: nginx-run
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-cache
-      - emptyDir: {}
-        name: nginx-lib
       - emptyDir: {}
         name: nginx-includes
       - configMap: