diff --git a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_backlog.py b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_backlog.py
index 773aa2f57e..a70d49f41b 100644
--- a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_backlog.py
+++ b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_backlog.py
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ try:
         print "UNKNOWN - %s does not exist" % fname
         sys.exit(3)
 
+    if not os.access(fname, os.W_OK):
+        print "UNKNOWN - cannot write to %s" % fname
+        sys.exit(3)
+
     connect_to = "ipc:///%s" % fname
     ctx = zmq.Context()
     s = ctx.socket(zmq.SUB)
diff --git a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_exceptions.py b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_exceptions.py
index 54c14638d0..7fa5f6f4e4 100644
--- a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_exceptions.py
+++ b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_consumer_exceptions.py
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ try:
         print "UNKNOWN - %s does not exist" % fname
         sys.exit(3)
 
+    if not os.access(fname, os.W_OK):
+        print "UNKNOWN - cannot write to %s" % fname
+        sys.exit(3)
+
     connect_to = "ipc:///%s" % fname
     ctx = zmq.Context()
     s = ctx.socket(zmq.SUB)
diff --git a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_producers_consumers.py b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_producers_consumers.py
index e779c6d11d..f5c00ccd12 100644
--- a/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_producers_consumers.py
+++ b/roles/nagios_client/files/scripts/check_fedmsg_producers_consumers.py
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ try:
         print "UNKNOWN - %s does not exist" % fname
         sys.exit(3)
 
+    if not os.access(fname, os.W_OK):
+        print "UNKNOWN - cannot write to %s" % fname
+        sys.exit(3)
+
     connect_to = "ipc:///%s" % fname
     ctx = zmq.Context()
     s = ctx.socket(zmq.SUB)