diff --git a/include/pathnames.h b/include/pathnames.h
index ba8de0111..d0ed7a158 100644
--- a/include/pathnames.h
+++ b/include/pathnames.h
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 
 /* used in term-utils/agetty.c */
 #define _PATH_ISSUE		"/etc/issue"
+#define _PATH_NUMLOCK_ON	_PATH_LOCALSTATEDIR "/numlock-on"
 
 #define _PATH_LOGINDEFS		"/etc/login.defs"
 
diff --git a/term-utils/agetty.c b/term-utils/agetty.c
index 7514015f6..5c445df5b 100644
--- a/term-utils/agetty.c
+++ b/term-utils/agetty.c
@@ -1259,9 +1259,8 @@ static void do_prompt(struct options *op, struct termios *tp)
 		if (ioctl(STDIN_FILENO, KDGKBLED, &kb) == 0) {
 			char hint[256] = { '\0' };
 			int nl = 0;
-			struct stat st;
 
-			if (stat("/var/run/numlock-on", &st) == 0)
+			if (access(_PATH_NUMLOCK_ON, F_OK) == 0)
 				nl = 1;
 
 			if (nl && (kb & 0x02) == 0)