diff --git a/gnu/services/mail.scm b/gnu/services/mail.scm
index d97316512f..7791780dfc 100644
--- a/gnu/services/mail.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/mail.scm
@@ -1670,7 +1670,9 @@ match from local for any action outbound
            ;; Create mbox and spool directories.
            (mkdir-p "/var/mail")
            (mkdir-p "/var/spool/smtpd")
-           (chmod "/var/spool/smtpd" #o711))))))
+           (chmod "/var/spool/smtpd" #o711)
+           (mkdir-p "/var/spool/mail")
+           (chmod "/var/spool/mail" #o711))))))
 
 (define %opensmtpd-pam-services
   (list (unix-pam-service "smtpd")))
diff --git a/gnu/tests/mail.scm b/gnu/tests/mail.scm
index 58172cd1d6..a50fb1dbca 100644
--- a/gnu/tests/mail.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests/mail.scm
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ match from any for local action inbound
 
           (test-assert "mbox is empty"
             (marionette-eval
-             '(and (file-exists? "/var/mail")
-                   (not (file-exists? "/var/mail/root")))
+             '(and (file-exists? "/var/spool/mail")
+                   (not (file-exists? "/var/spool/mail/root")))
              marionette))
 
           (test-eq "accept an email"
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ match from any for local action inbound
 
                 (let wait ((n 20))
                   (cond ((queue-empty?)
-                         (file-exists? "/var/mail/root"))
+                         (file-exists? "/var/spool/mail/root"))
                         ((zero? n)
                          (error "root mailbox didn't show up"))
                         (else