diff --git a/encfs/Context.cpp b/encfs/Context.cpp
index 60606bd..7ebebaa 100644
--- a/encfs/Context.cpp
+++ b/encfs/Context.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@ EncFS_Context::~EncFS_Context() {
   // release all entries from map
   openFiles.clear();
 }
+
 std::shared_ptr<DirNode> EncFS_Context::getRoot(int *errCode) {
+  return getRoot(errCode, false);
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<DirNode> EncFS_Context::getRoot(int *errCode, bool skipUsageCount) {
   std::shared_ptr<DirNode> ret = nullptr;
   do {
     {
@@ -57,7 +62,11 @@ std::shared_ptr<DirNode> EncFS_Context::getRoot(int *errCode) {
         break;      	
       }
       ret = root;
-      ++usageCount;
+      // On some system, stat of "/" is allowed even if the calling user is
+      // not allowed to list / to go deeper. Do not then count this call.
+      if (!skipUsageCount) {
+        ++usageCount;
+      }
     }
 
     if (!ret) {
diff --git a/encfs/Context.h b/encfs/Context.h
index 3d84d37..8d48d16 100644
--- a/encfs/Context.h
+++ b/encfs/Context.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class EncFS_Context {
 
   void setRoot(const std::shared_ptr<DirNode> &root);
   std::shared_ptr<DirNode> getRoot(int *err);
+  std::shared_ptr<DirNode> getRoot(int *err, bool skipUsageCount);
 
   std::shared_ptr<EncFS_Args> args;
   std::shared_ptr<EncFS_Opts> opts;
diff --git a/encfs/encfs.cpp b/encfs/encfs.cpp
index ccbc752..38eec09 100644
--- a/encfs/encfs.cpp
+++ b/encfs/encfs.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,11 @@ static int withFileNode(const char *opName, const char *path,
   EncFS_Context *ctx = context();
 
   int res = -EIO;
-  std::shared_ptr<DirNode> FSRoot = ctx->getRoot(&res);
+  bool skipUsageCount = false;
+  if (strlen(path) == 1) {
+    skipUsageCount = true;
+  }
+  std::shared_ptr<DirNode> FSRoot = ctx->getRoot(&res, skipUsageCount);
   if (!FSRoot) {
     return res;
   }