diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 5d3b0f0..e8b0f69 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const Joi = require('joi')
 const micromatch = require('micromatch')
 const union = require('lodash.union')
 const merge = require('lodash.merge')
-const {accessSync} = require('fs')
+const {accessSync, constants} = require('fs')
 const hygienist = require('hygienist-middleware')
 const BrowserSyncPlugin = require('browser-sync-webpack-plugin')
 const SpikePlugin = require('./plugin')
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ module.exports = class Config {
 
 function loadFile (f) {
   try {
-    accessSync(f)
+    accessSync(f, constants.F_OK | constants.R_OK)
     return require(f)
   } catch (err) {
     if (err.code !== 'ENOENT') { throw new Error(err) }
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index cc6877a..0d3391c 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ module.exports = Spike
  */
 function initSprout (emit) {
   try {
-    fs.accessSync(Spike.tplPath)
+    fs.accessSync(Spike.tplPath, fs.constants.F_OK | fs.constants.R_OK | fs.constants.W_OK)
   } catch (_) {
     emit('info', 'configuring template storage')
     mkdirp.sync(Spike.tplPath)
@@ -350,13 +350,13 @@ function ensureConfigExists () {
   }
 
   try {
-    fs.accessSync(Spike.tplPath)
+    fs.accessSync(Spike.tplPath, fs.constants.F_OK | fs.constants.R_OK | fs.constants.W_OK)
   } catch (_) {
     mkdirp.sync(Spike.tplPath)
   }
 
   try {
-    fs.accessSync(Spike.configPath)
+    fs.accessSync(Spike.configPath, fs.constants.F_OK | fs.constants.R_OK | fs.constants.W_OK)
   } catch (_) {
     fs.writeFileSync(Spike.configPath, JSON.stringify(defaultConfig))
   }