diff --git a/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/XDR.py b/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/XDR.py
index 48d0ae6da6..a573f67708 100644
--- a/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/XDR.py
+++ b/package/MDAnalysis/coordinates/XDR.py
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 import errno
 import numpy as np
 import os
-from pathlib import Path
 
 from os.path import getctime, getsize, isfile, split, join
 import warnings
@@ -200,7 +199,6 @@ def _load_offsets(self):
 
         #  check if the location of the lock is writable.
         try:
-            Path(lock_name).parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
             with FileLock(lock_name) as filelock:
                 pass
         except OSError as e:
diff --git a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/coordinates/test_xdr.py b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/coordinates/test_xdr.py
index e6caeebb07..084c2c23bb 100644
--- a/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/coordinates/test_xdr.py
+++ b/testsuite/MDAnalysisTests/coordinates/test_xdr.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #
 import pytest
 from unittest.mock import patch
-
+from time import time
 import re
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -897,13 +897,22 @@ def test_persistent_offsets_readonly(self, tmpdir):
         if os.name == 'nt':
             # Windows platform: deny write access using `icacls`
             subprocess.run(
-                f"icacls {tmpdir} /deny Users:W",
+                f"icacls {tmpdir} /deny Users:W /T",
                 shell=True,
                 check=True  # Raises an error if the command fails
             )
+            # print the permissions to check if they are set correctly
+            subprocess.run(
+                f'icacls {tmpdir}',
+                shell=True,
+                check=True,
+                stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+            )
         else:
             # Non-Windows platforms: use chmod for read and execute only
             os.chmod(str(tmpdir), 0o555)
+        time.sleep(1)  # wait for permissions to be set
 
         filename = str(tmpdir.join(os.path.basename(self.filename)))
         # try to write a offsets file