diff --git a/src/borg/xattr.py b/src/borg/xattr.py
index 03c5eae26..c1f331465 100644
--- a/src/borg/xattr.py
+++ b/src/borg/xattr.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from ctypes import CDLL, create_string_buffer, c_ssize_t, c_size_t, c_char_p, c_
 from ctypes.util import find_library
 from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 
-from .helpers import Buffer
+from .helpers import Buffer, prepare_subprocess_env
 
 
 try:
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
     preloads = re.split("[ :]", LD_PRELOAD)
     for preload in preloads:
         if preload.startswith("libfakeroot"):
-            fakeroot_version = LooseVersion(subprocess.check_output(['fakeroot', '-v']).decode('ascii').split()[-1])
+            env = prepare_subprocess_env(system=True)
+            fakeroot_output = subprocess.check_output(['fakeroot', '-v'], env=env)
+            fakeroot_version = LooseVersion(fakeroot_output.decode('ascii').split()[-1])
             if fakeroot_version >= LooseVersion("1.20.2"):
                 # 1.20.2 has been confirmed to have xattr support
                 # 1.18.2 has been confirmed not to have xattr support