diff --git a/src/nvim/testdir/test_recover.vim b/src/nvim/testdir/test_recover.vim
index aa291b1294..33cd54bc5c 100644
--- a/src/nvim/testdir/test_recover.vim
+++ b/src/nvim/testdir/test_recover.vim
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ func Test_recover_root_dir()
   call assert_fails('recover', 'E305:')
   close!
 
+  if has('win32')
+    " can write in / directory on MS-Windows
+    set dir=/notexist/
+  endif
   call assert_fails('split Xtest', 'E303:')
   set dir&
 endfunc