diff --git a/tests/test_webservice.py b/tests/test_webservice.py
index feae3c386a6870680c0360f1306917b4fdbfec05..74d9d8e0b1d42bebe838355c95b76cd146ff5977 100644
--- a/tests/test_webservice.py
+++ b/tests/test_webservice.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ INVALID_BEAMTIME = {
 }
 
 @pytest.mark.requires_gpfs
-def test_check_files():
+def test_check_files(tmp_path):
     in_folder = '/gpfs/exfel/exp/CALLAB/202031/p900113/raw'
     runs = [9985, 9984]
     karabo_das = ['AGIPD06', 'AGIPD07']
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ def test_check_files():
     runs = [1, 2]
     assert not check_files(in_folder, runs, karabo_das)
 
+    noaccess = tmp_path / "noaccess"
+    noaccess.mkdir(mode=0o000)  # make a directory we can't read
     with pytest.raises(PermissionError):
-        in_folder = '/gpfs/maxwell/home/achilles'  # arbitrarily chosen
-        check_files(in_folder, runs, karabo_das)
+        check_files(str(noaccess), runs, karabo_das)
 
 
 def test_merge():