diff --git a/source3/smbd/service.c b/source3/smbd/service.c
index d8ba4fe..976b2de 100644
--- a/source3/smbd/service.c
+++ b/source3/smbd/service.c
@@ -1019,19 +1019,27 @@ connection_struct *make_connection_snum(struct smbd_server_connection *sconn,
 	   check during individual operations. To match this behaviour
 	   I have disabled this chdir check (tridge) */
 	/* the alternative is just to check the directory exists */
-	if ((ret = SMB_VFS_STAT(conn, smb_fname_cpath)) != 0 ||
-	    !S_ISDIR(smb_fname_cpath->st.st_ex_mode)) {
-		if (ret == 0 && !S_ISDIR(smb_fname_cpath->st.st_ex_mode)) {
-			DEBUG(0,("'%s' is not a directory, when connecting to "
-				 "[%s]\n", conn->connectpath,
-				 lp_servicename(snum)));
+	if ((ret = SMB_VFS_STAT(conn, smb_fname_cpath)) == 0) {
+		if (!S_ISDIR(smb_fname_cpath->st.st_ex_mode)) {
+			DEBUG(0,("'%s' is not a directory, when connecting "
+				"to [%s]\n", conn->connectpath,
+				lp_servicename(snum)));
+			*pstatus = NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME;
+			goto err_root_exit;
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* stat failed. Use NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME unless
+		 * we got access denied. */
+		DEBUG(0, ("stat on directory '%s' failed when "
+			"connecting to [%s] Error was %s\n", 
+			conn->connectpath, lp_servicename(snum),
+			strerror(errno)));
+
+		if (errno == EACCES) {
+			*pstatus = NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED;
 		} else {
-			DEBUG(0,("'%s' does not exist or permission denied "
-				 "when connecting to [%s] Error was %s\n",
-				 conn->connectpath, lp_servicename(snum),
-				 strerror(errno) ));
+			*pstatus = NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME;
 		}
-		*pstatus = NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME;
 		goto err_root_exit;
 	}