diff --git a/gnu-system.am b/gnu-system.am
index 2641b9a3c5..6b2b1c7bf3 100644
--- a/gnu-system.am
+++ b/gnu-system.am
@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   gnu/packages/patches/emacs-exec-path.patch			\
   gnu/packages/patches/eudev-rules-directory.patch		\
   gnu/packages/patches/findutils-absolute-paths.patch		\
+  gnu/packages/patches/findutils-localstatedir.patch		\
   gnu/packages/patches/flashrom-use-libftdi1.patch		\
   gnu/packages/patches/flex-bison-tests.patch			\
   gnu/packages/patches/gawk-shell.patch				\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/base.scm b/gnu/packages/base.scm
index 0a27093966..e59abd035c 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/base.scm
@@ -206,14 +206,20 @@ interactive means to merge two files.")
             (sha256
              (base32
               "0amn0bbwqvsvvsh6drfwz20ydc2czk374lzw5kksbh6bf78k4ks3"))
-            (patches (list (search-patch "findutils-absolute-paths.patch")))))
+            (patches (map search-patch
+                          '("findutils-absolute-paths.patch"
+                            "findutils-localstatedir.patch")))))
    (build-system gnu-build-system)
    (arguments
-    ;; Work around cross-compilation failure.
-    ;; See <http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?27299#comment1>.
-    (if (%current-target-system)
-        '(#:configure-flags '("gl_cv_func_wcwidth_works=yes"))
-        '()))
+    `(#:configure-flags (list
+                         ;; Tell 'updatedb' to write to /var.
+                         "--localstatedir=/var"
+
+                         ;; Work around cross-compilation failure.  See
+                         ;; <http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?27299#comment1>.
+                         ,@(if (%current-target-system)
+                               '("gl_cv_func_wcwidth_works=yes")
+                               '()))))
    (synopsis "Operating on files matching given criteria")
    (description
     "Findutils supplies the basic file directory searching utilities of the
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/findutils-localstatedir.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/findutils-localstatedir.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c774303cf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/packages/patches/findutils-localstatedir.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+Do not try to create $localstatedir (aka. /var) since we don't have
+write access.
+
+--- findutils-4.4.2/locate/Makefile.in	2015-06-04 12:40:52.690935795 +0200
++++ findutils-4.4.2/locate/Makefile.in	2015-06-04 12:41:32.087286685 +0200
+@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ updatedb: updatedb.sh Makefile
+ 	chmod +x $@
+ 
+ install-data-hook:
+-	$(top_srcdir)/build-aux/mkinstalldirs $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)
++	true
+ 
+ dblocation.texi: Makefile
+ 	echo '@set LOCATE_DB $(LOCATE_DB)' > $@