diff --git a/test/zdtm.sh b/test/zdtm.sh
index 878bfaefc..f51f64b2a 100755
--- a/test/zdtm.sh
+++ b/test/zdtm.sh
@@ -416,6 +416,10 @@ construct_root()
 	local tmpdir=$root/tmp
 	local lname tname
 
+	# inotify_irmap creates files in /etc so it should be able to do
+	# this from userns.
+	mkdir -m 0777 -p $root/etc
+
 	mkdir -p $root/bin
 	cp $ps_path $root/bin
 
diff --git a/test/zdtm/live/static/inotify_irmap.c b/test/zdtm/live/static/inotify_irmap.c
index 28c619c92..011fb816c 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/live/static/inotify_irmap.c
+++ b/test/zdtm/live/static/inotify_irmap.c
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	test_init(argc, argv);
 
-	mkdir(TDIR, 0600);
 	unlink(TFIL);
 	if (creat(TFIL, 0600) < 0) {
 		err("Can't make test file");