diff --git a/e2e-tests/common.sh b/e2e-tests/common.sh
index 2ec7c30..113b0aa 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/common.sh
+++ b/e2e-tests/common.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,14 @@ delete_unix_user() { # name
 
 # send a mail and wait for delivery
 send_test_mail() { # email_address
+  USER=$(echo $1 | cut -f 1 -d '@')
+  # create an empty mailbox file
+  touch /var/mail/$USER
+  chown $USER:mail /var/mail/$USER
+  chmod 600 /var/mail/$USER
+
   echo "test mail" | sendmail $1
-  inotifywait -qq -t 3 -e close_write /var/mail
+  inotifywait -qq -t 3 -e close_write /var/mail/$USER
 }
 
 # test header