diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 7bda924ce..e2a33b58c 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT(unsigned $glib_size_type)
 
 # Check for some functions
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(lstat strerror strsignal memmove vsnprintf stpcpy strcasecmp strncasecmp poll getcwd vasprintf setenv unsetenv getc_unlocked readlink symlink fdwalk)
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS(chown lchown fchmod fchown link statvfs statfs utimes getgrgid getpwuid)
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS(chown lchmod lchown fchmod fchown link statvfs statfs utimes getgrgid getpwuid)
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(getmntent_r setmntent endmntent hasmntopt getmntinfo)
 # Check for high-resolution sleep functions
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(nanosleep nsleep)
diff --git a/gio/glocalfileinfo.c b/gio/glocalfileinfo.c
index 7182ec549..a61cc5578 100644
--- a/gio/glocalfileinfo.c
+++ b/gio/glocalfileinfo.c
@@ -1881,6 +1881,9 @@ set_unix_mode (char                       *filename,
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SYMLINK
   if (flags & G_FILE_QUERY_INFO_NOFOLLOW_SYMLINKS) {
+#ifdef HAVE_LCHMOD
+    res = lchmod (filename, val);
+#else
     struct stat statbuf;
     /* Calling chmod on a symlink changes permissions on the symlink.
      * We don't want to do this, so we need to check for a symlink */
@@ -1892,10 +1895,11 @@ set_unix_mode (char                       *filename,
                              _("Cannot set permissions on symlinks"));
         return FALSE;
       }
-  }
+    else if (res == 0)
+      res = g_chmod (filename, val);
+#endif
+  } else
 #endif
-
-  if (res == 0)
     res = g_chmod (filename, val);
 
   if (res == -1)