diff --git a/set_perms.c b/set_perms.c
index 686eeb171..6ffebcf4c 100644
--- a/set_perms.c
+++ b/set_perms.c
@@ -490,7 +490,9 @@ static void
 runas_setgroups()
 {
     static int ngroups = -1;
+#ifdef HAVE_GETGROUPS
     static GETGROUPS_T *groups;
+#endif
     struct passwd *pw;
 
     if (def_preserve_groups)
@@ -503,14 +505,16 @@ runas_setgroups()
 	pw = runas_pw ? runas_pw : sudo_user.pw;
 	if (initgroups(pw->pw_name, pw->pw_gid) < 0)
 	    log_error(USE_ERRNO|MSG_ONLY, "can't set runas group vector");
-	if ((ngroups = getgroups(0, NULL)) < 0)
-	    log_error(USE_ERRNO|MSG_ONLY, "can't get runas ngroups");
-	groups = emalloc2(ngroups, sizeof(GETGROUPS_T));
-	if (getgroups(ngroups, groups) < 0)
-	    log_error(USE_ERRNO|MSG_ONLY, "can't get runas group vector");
+#ifdef HAVE_GETGROUPS
+	if ((ngroups = getgroups(0, NULL)) > 0) {
+	    groups = emalloc2(ngroups, sizeof(GETGROUPS_T));
+	    if (getgroups(ngroups, groups) < 0)
+		log_error(USE_ERRNO|MSG_ONLY, "can't get runas group vector");
+	}
     } else {
 	if (setgroups(ngroups, groups) < 0)
 	    log_error(USE_ERRNO|MSG_ONLY, "can't set runas group vector");
+#endif /* HAVE_GETGROUPS */
     }
 }