1 files changed, 4 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/coreutils/chown.c b/coreutils/chown.c
index 98f9d9788..888c3fc89 100644
--- a/coreutils/chown.c
+++ b/coreutils/chown.c
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include "busybox.h"
 
-static long uid;
-static long gid;
+static uid_t uid = -1;
+static gid_t gid = -1;
 
 static int (*chown_func)(const char *, uid_t, gid_t) = chown;
 
@@ -57,15 +57,12 @@ int chown_main(int argc, char **argv)
                 groupName = strchr(*argv, ':');
         }
 
-        gid = -1;
+        /* Check for the username and groupname */
         if (groupName) {
                 *groupName++ = '\0';
                 gid = get_ug_id(groupName, bb_xgetgrnam);
         }
-
-        /* Now check for the username */
-        uid = get_ug_id(*argv, bb_xgetpwnam);
-
+        if (--groupName != *argv) uid = get_ug_id(*argv, bb_xgetpwnam);
         ++argv;
 
         /* Ok, ready to do the deed now */