diff --git a/src/xz/file_io.c b/src/xz/file_io.c
index 5048ef22..9958b689 100644
--- a/src/xz/file_io.c
+++ b/src/xz/file_io.c
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ static bool warn_fchown;
 #	define O_NOCTTY 0
 #endif
 
+#ifndef O_SEARCH
+#	define O_SEARCH O_RDONLY
+#endif
+
 #ifndef O_DIRECTORY
 #	define O_DIRECTORY 0
 #endif
@@ -886,7 +890,7 @@ io_open_dest_real(file_pair *pair)
 			// to a directory. (We opened the source file
 			// already but directories might have been renamed
 			// after the source file was opened.)
-			pair->dir_fd = open(dir_name, O_RDONLY | O_DIRECTORY
+			pair->dir_fd = open(dir_name, O_SEARCH | O_DIRECTORY
 					| O_NOCTTY | O_NONBLOCK);
 			if (pair->dir_fd == -1) {
 				// Since we did open the source file
@@ -896,15 +900,12 @@ io_open_dest_real(file_pair *pair)
 				//
 				// In an odd case, the directory has write
 				// and search permissions but not read
-				// permission (d-wx------). Then we would be
-				// able to create a new file and only the
-				// directory syncing would be impossible. But
-				// let's be strict about syncing and require
-				// users to explicitly disable it if they
-				// don't want it.
-				//
-				// NOTE: O_SEARCH doesn't allow fsync().
-				// musl maps O_SEARCH to O_PATH.
+				// permission (d-wx------), and O_SEARCH is
+				// actually O_RDONLY. Then we would be able
+				// to create a new file and only the directory
+				// syncing would be impossible. But let's be
+				// strict about syncing and require users to
+				// explicitly disable it if they don't want it.
 				message_error(_("%s: Opening the directory "
 					"failed: %s"),
 					tuklib_mask_nonprint(dir_name),