diff --git a/src/security/security_manager.c b/src/security/security_manager.c
index 1e998a6579952a3cc08f970d56b48bff0f9ee7e4..9f4bd7f8df2c262062560b9b251d4c3ac43d6384 100644
--- a/src/security/security_manager.c
+++ b/src/security/security_manager.c
@@ -1345,6 +1345,11 @@ virSecurityManagerMetadataLock(virSecurityManagerPtr mgr G_GNUC_UNUSED,
             }
 #endif /* !WIN32 */
 
+            if (virFileIsSharedFS(p)) {
+                /* Probably a root squashed NFS. */
+                continue;
+            }
+
             virReportSystemError(errno,
                                  _("unable to open %s"),
                                  p);