diff --git a/lib/makepath.c b/lib/makepath.c
index 20e9a1288..018b17e56 100644
--- a/lib/makepath.c
+++ b/lib/makepath.c
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ make_path (const char *argpath,
       if (verbose_fmt_string != NULL)
 	error (0, 0, verbose_fmt_string, dirpath);
 
-      if (owner != (uid_t) -1 && group != (gid_t) -1)
+      if (owner != (uid_t) -1 || group != (gid_t) -1)
 	{
 	  if (chown (basename_dir, owner, group)
 #ifdef AFS