--- guile-2.0.0.1/module/system/base/compile.scm~	2011-03-17 12:37:36.545525860 +0100
+++ guile-2.0.0.1/module/system/base/compile.scm	2011-03-17 20:39:43.286994431 +0100
@@ -77,7 +77,14 @@
           (error "directory not writable" dir))
       (begin
         (ensure-writable-dir (dirname dir))
-        (mkdir dir))))
+        (catch #t
+               (lambda ()
+                 (mkdir dir))
+               (lambda (key . args)
+                 (if (file-exists? dir)
+                     (if (access? dir W_OK)
+                         #t
+                         (error "directory not writable" dir))))))))
 
 ;;; This function is among the trickiest I've ever written. I tried many
 ;;; variants. In the end, simple is best, of course.