diff --git a/chgrp.c b/chgrp.c
index 5d3a71b..7ee3553 100644
--- a/chgrp.c
+++ b/chgrp.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ chgrp(const char *path, struct stat *st, void *data, struct recursor *r)
 	char *chownf_name;
 	int (*chownf)(const char *, uid_t, gid_t);
 
-	if (r->follow == 'P' || (r->follow == 'H' && r->depth) || (hflag && !(r->depth))) {
+	if ((r->maxdepth == 0 && r->follow == 'P') || (r->follow == 'H' && r->depth) || (hflag && !(r->depth))) {
 		chownf_name = "lchown";
 		chownf = lchown;
 	} else {
diff --git a/chown.c b/chown.c
index d7dc8e0..c517acf 100644
--- a/chown.c
+++ b/chown.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ chownpwgr(const char *path, struct stat *st, void *data, struct recursor *r)
 	char *chownf_name;
 	int (*chownf)(const char *, uid_t, gid_t);
 
-	if (r->follow == 'P' || (r->follow == 'H' && r->depth) || (hflag && !(r->depth))) {
+	if ((r->maxdepth == 0 && r->follow == 'P') || (r->follow == 'H' && r->depth) || (hflag && !(r->depth))) {
 		chownf_name = "lchown";
 		chownf = lchown;
 	} else {