diff --git a/_testdata/not-permission/.gitkeep b/_testdata/not-permission/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/cmd/gitbase/command/server.go b/cmd/gitbase/command/server.go
index a0f2ddb35..e49f6b810 100644
--- a/cmd/gitbase/command/server.go
+++ b/cmd/gitbase/command/server.go
@@ -309,6 +309,9 @@ func (c *Server) addMatch(match string) error {
 	initDepth := strings.Count(root, string(os.PathSeparator))
 	return filepath.Walk(root, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
+			if os.IsPermission(err) {
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/cmd/gitbase/command/server_test.go b/cmd/gitbase/command/server_test.go
index afbd87ab8..25dbd09f0 100644
--- a/cmd/gitbase/command/server_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gitbase/command/server_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package command
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/src-d/gitbase"
@@ -10,12 +11,22 @@ import (
 func TestAddMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	require := require.New(t)
 
+	notPermissionDir := "../../../_testdata/not-permission/"
+	fi, err := os.Stat(notPermissionDir)
+	require.NoError(err)
+
+	require.NoError(os.Chmod(notPermissionDir, 0))
+	defer func() {
+		require.NoError(os.Chmod(notPermissionDir, fi.Mode()))
+	}()
+
 	expected := []struct {
 		path string
 		err  func(error, ...interface{})
 	}{
 		{"../../../_testdata/repositories/", require.NoError},
 		{"../../../_testdata/repositories-link/", require.NoError},
+		{notPermissionDir, require.NoError},
 		{"../../../_testdata/repositories-not-exist/", require.Error},
 	}
 	c := &Server{pool: gitbase.NewRepositoryPool(0)}