diff --git a/src/sage/interfaces/maxima_lib.py b/src/sage/interfaces/maxima_lib.py
index 196ff583c3a..4ce8963b0be 100644
--- a/src/sage/interfaces/maxima_lib.py
+++ b/src/sage/interfaces/maxima_lib.py
@@ -77,6 +77,26 @@
     sage: bar == foo
     True
 
+TESTS:
+
+Check our workaround for a race in ecl works, see :trac:`26968`.
+We use a temporary `MAXIMA_USERDIR` so it's empty; we place it
+in `DOT_SAGE` since we expect it to have more latency than `/tmp`.
+
+    sage: import tempfile, subprocess
+    sage: tmpdir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=DOT_SAGE)
+    sage: _ = subprocess.run(['sage', '-c',  # long time
+    ....: f'''
+    ....: import os
+    ....: os.environ["MAXIMA_USERDIR"] = "{tmpdir.name}"
+    ....: if not os.fork():
+    ....:     import sage.interfaces.maxima_lib
+    ....: else:
+    ....:     import sage.interfaces.maxima_lib
+    ....:     os.wait()
+    ....: '''])
+    sage: tmpdir.cleanup()
+
 """
 
 # ****************************************************************************
@@ -116,7 +136,23 @@
 ecl_eval("(setq $nolabels t))")
 ecl_eval("(defvar *MAXIMA-LANG-SUBDIR* NIL)")
 ecl_eval("(set-locale-subdir)")
-ecl_eval("(set-pathnames)")
+
+try:
+    ecl_eval("(set-pathnames)")
+except RuntimeError:
+    # Recover from :trac:`26968` by creating `*maxima-objdir*` here.
+    # This cannot be done before calling `(set-pathnames)` since
+    # `*maxima-objdir*` is computed there.
+    # We use python `os.makedirs()` which is immune to the race.
+    # Using `(ensure-directories-exist ...)` in lisp would be
+    # subject to the same race condition and since `*maxima-objdir*`
+    # has multiple components this is quite plausible to happen.
+    maxima_objdir = ecl_eval("*maxima-objdir*").python()[1:-1]
+    import os
+    os.makedirs(maxima_objdir, exist_ok=True)
+    # Call `(set-pathnames)` again to complete its job.
+    ecl_eval("(set-pathnames)")
+
 ecl_eval("(defun add-lineinfo (x) x)")
 ecl_eval('(defun principal nil (cond ($noprincipal (diverg)) ((not pcprntd) (merror "Divergent Integral"))))')
 ecl_eval("(remprop 'mfactorial 'grind)")  # don't use ! for factorials (#11539)