diff --git a/cmirror.c b/cmirror.c
index 0befcd5..cc626cb 100644
--- a/cmirror.c
+++ b/cmirror.c
@@ -319,8 +319,6 @@ static void fileop_mknod(char *path, char type, dev_t rdev) {
 }
 
 static void fileop_chown(uid_t uid, gid_t gid, char *path) {
-    if (slave_unprivileged)
-        return;
     if (fileop_debug)
         warn("fileop: chown %d:%d %s\n", uid, gid, path);
     if (fileop_noop)
@@ -465,8 +463,8 @@ static void fileop_ln_or_cp(char *from, char *to) {
 }
 
 static void check_perm(FileInfo *is, FileInfo *want) {
-    if (is->uid != want->uid || is->gid != want ->gid ){
-        if (!quiet && !slave_unprivileged)
+    if (!slave_unprivileged && (is->uid != want->uid || is->gid != want->gid) ) {
+        if (!quiet)
             warn("chown %d:%d %s\n", want->uid, want->gid, is->name);
         fileop_chown(want->uid, want->gid, is->name);
     }
@@ -481,7 +479,8 @@ static void make_dir(char *path, mode_t perm, uid_t uid, gid_t gid) {
         if (!quiet)
             warn("mkdir %s owner %d:%d mode 0%03o\n", path, uid, gid, perm);
         fileop_mkdir(path);
-        fileop_chown(uid, gid, path);
+        if (!slave_unprivileged)
+            fileop_chown(uid, gid, path);
         fileop_chmod(perm, path);
 }
 
@@ -868,7 +867,8 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                     if (!quiet)
                         warn("mknod %s P\n", filename);
                     fileop_mknod(filename, fi_want->type, 0);
-                    fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
+                    if (!slave_unprivileged)
+                        fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
                     fileop_chmod(fi_want->perm, filename);
                 }
             } else if (fi_want->type== 'S') {
@@ -880,7 +880,8 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                     if (!quiet)
                         warn("mknod %s %c\n", filename, fi_want->type);
                     fileop_mknod(filename, fi_want->type, fi_want->rdev);
-                    fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
+                    if (!slave_unprivileged)
+                        fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
                     fileop_chmod(fi_want->perm, filename);
                 } else {
                     check_perm(fi_is, fi_want);