--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -3904,6 +3904,9 @@ int snd_config_update_r(snd_config_t **_top, snd_config_update_t **_update, cons
 	configs = cfgs;
 	if (!configs) {
 		configs = getenv(ALSA_CONFIG_PATH_VAR);
+		/* ignore the non-accessible override */
+		if (configs && access(configs, R_OK) < 0)
+			configs = NULL;
 		if (!configs || !*configs) {
 			const char *topdir = snd_config_topdir();
 			char *s = alloca(strlen(topdir) +
