diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b4f8086..cddc5e4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ dsc:
 $(DSC): $(ORIG_SRC_TAR) $(BUILDDIR)
 	cd $(BUILDDIR); dpkg-buildpackage -S -us -uc -d
 
+# spamassassin fails running tests as root, since tests starting spamd cause spamd
+# to setuid to nobody, resulting in EPERM when spamd tries to access the testdirectory, which is
+# used for pid-files and rulesets
 .PHONY: sbuild
 sbuild: $(DSC)
-	sbuild $(DSC)
+	sbuild --starting-build-commands 'chmod 775 /build' --starting-build-commands 'chmod 775 %SBUILD_BUILD_DIR' $(DSC)
 
 .PHONY: update-upstream
 update-upstream: $(OPKGNAME).tar.gz