diff --git libsemanage-2.7/src/direct_api.c libsemanage-2.7/src/direct_api.c
index 65842df..ed11a7c 100644
--- libsemanage-2.7/src/direct_api.c
+++ libsemanage-2.7/src/direct_api.c
@@ -148,9 +148,6 @@ int semanage_direct_connect(semanage_handle_t * sh)
 		if (semanage_create_store(sh, 1))
 			goto err;
 
-	if (semanage_access_check(sh) < SEMANAGE_CAN_READ)
-		goto err;
-
 	sh->u.direct.translock_file_fd = -1;
 	sh->u.direct.activelock_file_fd = -1;
 
@@ -373,10 +370,6 @@ static int semanage_direct_disconnect(semanage_handle_t * sh)
 
 static int semanage_direct_begintrans(semanage_handle_t * sh)
 {
-
-	if (semanage_access_check(sh) != SEMANAGE_CAN_WRITE) {
-		return -1;
-	}
 	if (semanage_get_trans_lock(sh) < 0) {
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -1545,33 +1538,27 @@ rebuild:
 	}
 
 	path = semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC_LOCAL);
-	if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) {
-		retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC_LOCAL),
-							semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_FC_LOCAL),
-							sh->conf->file_mode);
-		if (retval < 0) {
-			goto cleanup;
-		}
+	retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC_LOCAL),
+						semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_FC_LOCAL),
+						sh->conf->file_mode);
+	if (retval < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	path = semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC);
-	if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) {
-		retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC),
-							semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_FC),
-							sh->conf->file_mode);
-		if (retval < 0) {
-			goto cleanup;
-		}
+	retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_FC),
+						semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_FC),
+						sh->conf->file_mode);
+	if (retval < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	path = semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_SEUSERS);
-	if (access(path, F_OK) == 0) {
-		retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_SEUSERS),
-							semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_SEUSERS),
-							sh->conf->file_mode);
-		if (retval < 0) {
-			goto cleanup;
-		}
+	retval = semanage_copy_file(semanage_path(SEMANAGE_TMP, SEMANAGE_STORE_SEUSERS),
+						semanage_final_path(SEMANAGE_FINAL_TMP, SEMANAGE_SEUSERS),
+						sh->conf->file_mode);
+	if (retval < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
+		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
 	/* run genhomedircon if its enabled, this should be the last operation
diff --git libsemanage-2.7/src/semanage_store.c libsemanage-2.7/src/semanage_store.c
index 6158d08..d2d7e3e 100644
--- libsemanage-2.7/src/semanage_store.c
+++ libsemanage-2.7/src/semanage_store.c
@@ -537,7 +537,6 @@ char *semanage_conf_path(void)
 int semanage_create_store(semanage_handle_t * sh, int create)
 {
 	struct stat sb;
-	int mode_mask = R_OK | W_OK | X_OK;
 	const char *path = semanage_files[SEMANAGE_ROOT];
 	int fd;
 
@@ -556,9 +555,9 @@ int semanage_create_store(semanage_handle_t * sh, int create)
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode) || access(path, mode_mask) == -1) {
+		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
 			ERR(sh,
-			    "Could not access module store at %s, or it is not a directory.",
+			    "Module store at %s is not a directory.",
 			    path);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -579,9 +578,9 @@ int semanage_create_store(semanage_handle_t * sh, int create)
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode) || access(path, mode_mask) == -1) {
+		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
 			ERR(sh,
-			    "Could not access module store active subdirectory at %s, or it is not a directory.",
+			    "Module store active subdirectory at %s is not a directory.",
 			    path);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -602,9 +601,9 @@ int semanage_create_store(semanage_handle_t * sh, int create)
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode) || access(path, mode_mask) == -1) {
+		if (!S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
 			ERR(sh,
-			    "Could not access module store active modules subdirectory at %s, or it is not a directory.",
+			    "Module store active modules subdirectory at %s is not a directory.",
 			    path);
 			return -1;
 		}
@@ -623,8 +622,8 @@ int semanage_create_store(semanage_handle_t * sh, int create)
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (!S_ISREG(sb.st_mode) || access(path, R_OK | W_OK) == -1) {
-			ERR(sh, "Could not access lock file at %s.", path);
+		if (!S_ISREG(sb.st_mode)) {
+			ERR(sh, "Lock file at %s missing.", path);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}