diff --git a/src/ldso/dynlink.c b/src/ldso/dynlink.c
index 6d3d08edee8c2fc4df01f265ea81555e4342b55d..a89e74320048162048b77fa50ad0e17ab263ccd7 100644
--- a/src/ldso/dynlink.c
+++ b/src/ldso/dynlink.c
@@ -614,6 +614,8 @@ static struct dso *load_library(const char *name, struct dso *needed_by)
 						sys_path = "";
 					}
 					fclose(f);
+				} else if (errno != ENOENT) {
+					sys_path = "";
 				}
 			}
 			if (!sys_path) sys_path = "/lib:/usr/local/lib:/usr/lib";