diff --git a/src/csync_time.c b/src/csync_time.c
index 909a65e88..ae1d24b7d 100644
--- a/src/csync_time.c
+++ b/src/csync_time.c
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@ time_t csync_timediff(CSYNC *ctx) {
   ctx->replica = ctx->remote.type;
   dp = csync_vio_opendir(ctx, ctx->remote.uri);
   if (dp == NULL) {
-    if (csync_vio_mkdir(ctx, ctx->remote.uri, 0755) < 0) {
-      CSYNC_LOG(CSYNC_LOG_PRIORITY_FATAL, "Unable to create directory on remote uri: %s - %s", luri, strerror(errno));
-      return -1;
-    }
+    /*
+     * To prevent problems especially with pam_csync we shouldn't try to create the
+     * remote directory here. Just fail!
+     */
+    CSYNC_LOG(CSYNC_LOG_PRIORITY_FATAL, "Access dienied to remote uri: %s - %s", ctx->remote.uri, strerror(errno));
+    return -1;
   }
   csync_vio_closedir(ctx, dp);