diff --git a/cmirror.c b/cmirror.c
index cc626cb..64466a1 100644
--- a/cmirror.c
+++ b/cmirror.c
@@ -318,15 +318,6 @@ static void fileop_mknod(char *path, char type, dev_t rdev) {
         die("%s: %m\n", path);
 }
 
-static void fileop_chown(uid_t uid, gid_t gid, char *path) {
-    if (fileop_debug)
-        warn("fileop: chown %d:%d %s\n", uid, gid, path);
-    if (fileop_noop)
-        return;
-    if (lchown(path, uid, gid) == -1)
-        die("%s: %m\n", path);
-}
-
 static void fileop_chmod(mode_t perm, char *path) {
     if (fileop_debug)
         warn("fileop: chmod 0%03o %s\n", perm, path);
@@ -466,7 +457,7 @@ static void check_perm(FileInfo *is, FileInfo *want) {
     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);
+        fileop_lchown(want->uid, want->gid, is->name);
     }
     if (want->perm != is->perm) {
         if (!quiet)
@@ -480,7 +471,7 @@ static void make_dir(char *path, mode_t perm, uid_t uid, gid_t gid) {
             warn("mkdir %s owner %d:%d mode 0%03o\n", path, uid, gid, perm);
         fileop_mkdir(path);
         if (!slave_unprivileged)
-            fileop_chown(uid, gid, path);
+            fileop_lchown(uid, gid, path);
         fileop_chmod(perm, path);
 }
 
@@ -815,7 +806,7 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                             close(fd);
                         }
                         if (!slave_unprivileged) {
-                            fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, tmpfile);
+                            fileop_lchown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, tmpfile);
                             fileop_chmod(fi_want->perm, tmpfile);
                         }
                         if (fi_is && fi_is->type == 'D')
@@ -868,7 +859,7 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                         warn("mknod %s P\n", filename);
                     fileop_mknod(filename, fi_want->type, 0);
                     if (!slave_unprivileged)
-                        fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
+                        fileop_lchown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
                     fileop_chmod(fi_want->perm, filename);
                 }
             } else if (fi_want->type== 'S') {
@@ -881,7 +872,7 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                         warn("mknod %s %c\n", filename, fi_want->type);
                     fileop_mknod(filename, fi_want->type, fi_want->rdev);
                     if (!slave_unprivileged)
-                        fileop_chown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
+                        fileop_lchown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
                     fileop_chmod(fi_want->perm, filename);
                 } else {
                     check_perm(fi_is, fi_want);