diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index ef3e100c..76903f56 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import platform
+import pathlib
 
 import pytest
 import path
@@ -150,8 +151,18 @@ def suppress_path_mangle(monkeysession):
     )
 
 
+def _set_home(monkeypatch, path):
+    var = 'USERPROFILE' if platform.system() == 'Windows' else 'HOME'
+    monkeypatch.setenv(var, str(path))
+    return path
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def temp_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
-    var = 'USERPROFILE' if platform.system() == 'Windows' else 'HOME'
-    monkeypatch.setenv(var, str(tmp_path))
-    return tmp_path
+    return _set_home(monkeypatch, tmp_path)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def fake_home(fs, monkeypatch):
+    home = fs.create_dir('/fakehome')
+    return _set_home(monkeypatch, pathlib.Path(home.path))
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_dist.py b/distutils/tests/test_dist.py
index 25628156..0f205fe4 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_dist.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_dist.py
@@ -258,6 +258,19 @@ def test_find_config_files_disable(self, temp_home):
         # make sure --no-user-cfg disables the user cfg file
         assert len(all_files) - 1 == len(files)
 
+    @pytest.mark.xfail(reason="pypa/distutils#181", strict=True)
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        'platform.system() == "Windows"',
+        'Windows does not honor chmod 000',
+    )
+    def test_find_config_files_permission_error(self, fake_home):
+        """
+        Finding config files should not fail when directory is inaccessible.
+        """
+        fake_home.joinpath(pydistutils_cfg).write_text('')
+        fake_home.chmod(0o000)
+        Distribution().find_config_files()
+
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('save_env')
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('save_argv')
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3d031d20..c23177c1 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ deps =
 	jaraco.text
 	path
 	docutils
+	pyfakefs
 commands =
 	pytest {posargs}
 setenv =