diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b8d27f77e4..52a749178f 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+git-annex (0.21) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * test: Don't rely on chmod -R working.
+
+ -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:12:11 -0400
+
 git-annex (0.20) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * Preserve specified file ordering when instructed to act on multiple
diff --git a/test.hs b/test.hs
index f7d3f7c53d..b68360e9dd 100644
--- a/test.hs
+++ b/test.hs
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import Control.Exception (throw)
 import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
 import Maybe
 import qualified Data.Map as M
+import System.Path (recurseDir)
+import System.IO.HVFS (SystemFS(..))
 
 import qualified Annex
 import qualified BackendList
@@ -536,8 +538,12 @@ cleanup dir = do
 	when e $ do
 		-- git-annex prevents annexed file content from being
 		-- removed via permissions bits; undo
-		_ <- Utility.boolSystem "chmod" ["+rw", "-R", dir]
+		recurseDir SystemFS dir >>= mapM_ fixmodes
 		removeDirectoryRecursive dir
+	where
+		fixmodes f = do
+			s <- getSymbolicLinkStatus f
+			unless (isSymbolicLink s) $ Content.allowWrite f
 	
 checklink :: FilePath -> Assertion
 checklink f = do