diff --git a/cmirror.c b/cmirror.c
index 2e121c0..0befcd5 100644
--- a/cmirror.c
+++ b/cmirror.c
@@ -846,7 +846,8 @@ static void slave(char *slave_path) {
                     if (!quiet)
                         warn("ln -s %s %s\n", fi_want->target, filename);
                     fileop_symlink(fi_want->target, filename);
-                    fileop_lchown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
+                    if (!slave_unprivileged)
+                        fileop_lchown(fi_want->uid, fi_want->gid, filename);
                     fileop_lmtime(fi_want->mtime, filename);
                 } else {
                     if (!slave_unprivileged && (fi_is->uid != fi_want->uid || fi_is->gid != fi_want->gid)) {