diff --git a/nisystemlink/clients/core/_http_configuration_manager.py b/nisystemlink/clients/core/_http_configuration_manager.py
index 31e84cc3..1f428cf5 100644
--- a/nisystemlink/clients/core/_http_configuration_manager.py
+++ b/nisystemlink/clients/core/_http_configuration_manager.py
@@ -140,10 +140,10 @@ def _read_configurations(cls) -> Dict[str, core.HttpConfiguration]:
             return configurations
         try:
             json_files = path.glob("*.json")
-        except PermissionError as e:
-            raise core.ApiException(
-                "Not authorized to access HTTP configurations directory: " + str(e)
-            )
+        except PermissionError:
+            # don't raise when lacking read (list) permission on the HttpConfigurations directory,
+            # to allow falling back to reading envvars
+            return configurations
         except OSError as e:
             raise core.ApiException(
                 "Error while accessing HTTP configurations directory: " + str(e)