diff --git a/Lib/test/test_posix.py b/Lib/test/test_posix.py
index 36d90e89c2dac6..085815f2c99baf 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_posix.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_posix.py
@@ -838,7 +838,9 @@ def check_stat(uid, gid):
             self.assertRaises(OSError, chown_func, first_param, 0, -1)
             check_stat(uid, gid)
             if hasattr(os, 'getgroups'):
-                if 0 not in os.getgroups():
+                # Also check the effective gid, which the kernel
+                # accepts for chown even if not in getgroups().
+                if 0 not in os.getgroups() and os.getegid() != 0:
                     self.assertRaises(OSError, chown_func, first_param, -1, 0)
                     check_stat(uid, gid)
         # test illegal types