diff -Nur minicom-2.8/src/config.c new/src/config.c
--- minicom-2.8/src/config.c	2021-01-01 18:45:55.000000000 +0100
+++ new/src/config.c	2022-05-23 15:22:59.218799729 +0200
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@
 int dodflsave(void)
 {
   FILE *fp;
-  char *fname = dosetup ? parfile : pparfile;
+  char *fname = getuid() == 0 ? parfile : pparfile;
 
   if ((fp = fopen(fname, "w")) == NULL) {
     werror(_("Cannot write to %s"), fname);
@@ -1427,7 +1427,7 @@
   s = input(_("Give name to save this configuration?"), ifile, sizeof(ifile));
   if (s != (char *)0 && *s != 0) {
     if (dosetup) {
-      snprintf(parfile, sizeof(parfile), "%s/minirc.%s", CONFDIR, s);
+      snprintf(pparfile, sizeof(pparfile), "%s/.minirc.%s", homedir, s);
     } else {
       snprintf(pparfile, sizeof(pparfile), "%s/.minirc.%s", homedir, s);
     }