diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 90410c3823e..33933911fa8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -2035,18 +2035,6 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
 
         creating = not os.path.exists(b_dest)
 
-        try:
-            login_name = os.getlogin()
-        except OSError:
-            # not having a tty can cause the above to fail, so
-            # just get the LOGNAME environment variable instead
-            login_name = os.environ.get('LOGNAME', None)
-
-        # if the original login_name doesn't match the currently
-        # logged-in user, or if the SUDO_USER environment variable
-        # is set, then this user has switched their credentials
-        switched_user = login_name and login_name != pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid())[0] or os.environ.get('SUDO_USER')
-
         try:
             # Optimistically try a rename, solves some corner cases and can avoid useless work, throws exception if not atomic.
             os.rename(b_src, b_dest)
@@ -2084,12 +2072,13 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                         # close tmp file handle before file operations to prevent text file busy errors on vboxfs synced folders (windows host)
                         os.close(tmp_dest_fd)
                         # leaves tmp file behind when sudo and not root
-                        if switched_user and os.geteuid() != 0:
+                        try:
+                            shutil.move(b_src, b_tmp_dest_name)
+                        except OSError:
                             # cleanup will happen by 'rm' of tempdir
                             # copy2 will preserve some metadata
                             shutil.copy2(b_src, b_tmp_dest_name)
-                        else:
-                            shutil.move(b_src, b_tmp_dest_name)
+
                         if self.selinux_enabled():
                             self.set_context_if_different(
                                 b_tmp_dest_name, context, False)
@@ -2121,8 +2110,12 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
             umask = os.umask(0)
             os.umask(umask)
             os.chmod(b_dest, DEFAULT_PERM & ~umask)
-            if switched_user:
+            try:
                 os.chown(b_dest, os.geteuid(), os.getegid())
+            except OSError:
+                # We're okay with trying our best here.  If the user is not
+                # root (or old Unices) they won't be able to chown.
+                pass
 
         if self.selinux_enabled():
             # rename might not preserve context