diff --git a/test/T050-new.sh b/test/T050-new.sh
index cb67889c..240c1810 100755
--- a/test/T050-new.sh
+++ b/test/T050-new.sh
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
 test_begin_subtest "Xapian exception: read only files"
+test_subtest_broken_for_root
 chmod u-w ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian/*.*
 output=$(NOTMUCH_NEW --debug 2>&1 | sed 's/: .*$//' )
 chmod u+w ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian/*.*
diff --git a/test/T150-tagging.sh b/test/T150-tagging.sh
index 1a2fd77e..ac3f2539 100755
--- a/test/T150-tagging.sh
+++ b/test/T150-tagging.sh
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ test_begin_subtest "Tag name beginning with -"
 test_expect_code 1 'notmuch tag +- One'
 
 test_begin_subtest "Xapian exception: read only files"
+test_subtest_broken_for_root
 chmod u-w ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian/*.*
 output=$(notmuch tag +something '*' 2>&1 | sed 's/: .*$//' )
 chmod u+w ${MAIL_DIR}/.notmuch/xapian/*.*
diff --git a/test/test-lib.sh b/test/test-lib.sh
index eec5c5b4..1a6525df 100644
--- a/test/test-lib.sh
+++ b/test/test-lib.sh
@@ -740,6 +740,12 @@ test_subtest_known_broken () {
 	test_subtest_known_broken_=t
 }
 
+test_subtest_broken_for_root () {
+   if [ "$EUID" = "0" ]; then
+	test_subtest_known_broken_=t
+    fi
+}
+
 test_expect_success () {
 	exec 1>&6 2>&7		# Restore stdout and stderr
 	if [ -z "$inside_subtest" ]; then