diff --git a/OWNERS b/OWNERS
index 12bbf3fbf..7ea4e73f4 100644
--- a/OWNERS
+++ b/OWNERS
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ per-file flake.lock=*
 per-file *.nix=*
 per-file Cargo.lock=*
 per-file Cargo.toml=*
+per-file version.json=*
 
 # Code style
 per-file .clang-tidy=*
diff --git a/bench/OWNERS b/bench/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72e8ffc0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bench/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/contrib/OWNERS b/contrib/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72e8ffc0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/meson/OWNERS b/meson/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54e04fbcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meson/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# build stuff
+*
diff --git a/nix-support/OWNERS b/nix-support/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72e8ffc0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix-support/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*
diff --git a/perl/OWNERS b/perl/OWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9d6978ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/perl/OWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# this is a cross between packaging and lix itself
+file:///lix/OWNERS