diff --git a/src/ucm/ucm_include.c b/src/ucm/ucm_include.c
index b155a086..8a47e748 100644
--- a/src/ucm/ucm_include.c
+++ b/src/ucm/ucm_include.c
@@ -90,11 +90,10 @@ static int include_eval_one(snd_use_case_mgr_t *uc_mgr,
 	err = uc_mgr_get_substituted_value(uc_mgr, &s, file);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
-	if (opt_bool && access(s, R_OK) != 0) {
-		snd_trace(UCM, "optional file '%s' not found", s);
+	err = uc_mgr_config_load_file(uc_mgr, s, result);
+	if (opt_bool && (err == -ENOENT || err == -EACCES)) {
+		snd_trace(UCM, "optional file '%s' not found or readable", s);
 		err = 0;
-	} else {
-		err = uc_mgr_config_load_file(uc_mgr, s, result);
 	}
 	free(s);
 	return err;