diff --git a/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py b/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
index b72d61c7a..000ffb0be 100644
--- a/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
+++ b/lib/portage/package/ebuild/doebuild.py
@@ -1607,7 +1607,7 @@ def _check_temp_dir(settings):
     # as some people use a separate PORTAGE_TMPDIR mount
     # we prefer that as the checks below would otherwise be pointless
     # for those people.
-    checkdir = first_existing(os.path.join(settings["PORTAGE_TMPDIR"], "portage"))
+    checkdir = first_existing(os.path.join(settings["PORTAGE_TMPDIR"], "portage/."))
 
     if not os.access(checkdir, os.W_OK):
         writemsg(