diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index 3638d4f292a..b4e99f53105 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -535,8 +535,8 @@ if [ "$XBPS_CHROOT_CMD" = ethereal ]; then
 else
     : "${XBPS_MASTERDIR:=$XBPS_DISTDIR/masterdir-$XBPS_MACHINE}"
     # but use $XBPS_DISTDIR/masterdir if it exists and the new style doesn't
-    if [ ! -d "${XBPS_MASTERDIR}" ] && [ -d "${XBPS_DISTDIR}/masterdir" ] \
-        && [ "$(cat "${XBPS_DISTDIR}"/masterdir/.xbps_chroot_init)" = "$XBPS_MACHINE" ]; then
+    if [ ! -d "${XBPS_MASTERDIR}" ] && [ -r "${XBPS_DISTDIR}/masterdir/.xbps_chroot_init" ] \
+        && [ "$(cat "${XBPS_DISTDIR}/masterdir/.xbps_chroot_init")" = "$XBPS_MACHINE" ]; then
         XBPS_MASTERDIR="${XBPS_DISTDIR}/masterdir"
     fi
 fi