diff --git a/hw/virtio-9p-local.c b/hw/virtio-9p-local.c
index 58e7647da536f5f6e8ddfdc2602e7f2efd86c35f..132816e607c8a69e8aa7f3855e6e996bb85ad8bd 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-9p-local.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-9p-local.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static int local_post_create_passthrough(FsContext *fs_ctx, const char *path,
     if (chmod(rpath(fs_ctx, path), credp->fc_mode & 07777) < 0) {
         return -1;
     }
-    if (chown(rpath(fs_ctx, path), credp->fc_uid, credp->fc_gid) < 0) {
+    if (lchown(rpath(fs_ctx, path), credp->fc_uid, credp->fc_gid) < 0) {
         /*
          * If we fail to change ownership and if we are
          * using security model none. Ignore the error