diff --git a/src/machine/image.c b/src/machine/image.c
index 1574adf30..8a119e5db 100644
--- a/src/machine/image.c
+++ b/src/machine/image.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ static int image_make(
 
         read_only =
                 (path && path_startswith(path, "/usr")) ||
-                faccessat(dfd, filename, W_OK, AT_EACCESS) < 0;
+                (faccessat(dfd, filename, W_OK, AT_EACCESS) < 0 && errno == EROFS);
 
         if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {