diff --git a/sys/src/lib9p/listen.c b/sys/src/lib9p/listen.c
index be5290a3b..89b2f322d 100644
--- a/sys/src/lib9p/listen.c
+++ b/sys/src/lib9p/listen.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ getremotesys(char *ndir)
 
 	snprint(buf, sizeof buf, "%s/remote", ndir);
 	sys = nil;
-	fd = open(buf, OREAD);
+	fd = open(buf, OREAD|OCEXEC);
 	if(fd >= 0){
 		n = read(fd, buf, sizeof(buf)-1);
 		if(n>0){