diff --git a/test/litest.c b/test/litest.c
index dbbf0543..f99d145a 100644
--- a/test/litest.c
+++ b/test/litest.c
@@ -958,7 +958,11 @@ litest_create_uinput_device_from_description(const char *name,
 	rc = libevdev_uinput_create_from_device(dev,
 					        LIBEVDEV_UINPUT_OPEN_MANAGED,
 						&uinput);
-	ck_assert_int_eq(rc, 0);
+	/* workaround for a bug in libevdev pre-1.3
+	   http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libevdev/commit/?id=debe9b030c8069cdf78307888ef3b65830b25122 */
+	if (rc == -EBADF)
+		rc = -EACCES;
+	ck_assert_msg(rc == 0, "Failed to create uinput device: %s", strerror(-rc));
 
 	libevdev_free(dev);