diff --git a/xapian_backend.py b/xapian_backend.py
index 1293167..878327d 100755
--- a/xapian_backend.py
+++ b/xapian_backend.py
@@ -134,9 +134,6 @@ class SearchBackend(BaseSearchBackend):
         if not os.path.exists(settings.HAYSTACK_XAPIAN_PATH):
             os.makedirs(settings.HAYSTACK_XAPIAN_PATH)
         
-        if not os.access(settings.HAYSTACK_XAPIAN_PATH, os.W_OK):
-            raise IOError("The path to your Xapian index '%s' is not writable for the current user/group." % settings.HAYSTACK_XAPIAN_PATH)
-        
         self.language = language
         self._schema = None
         self._content_field_name = None