diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 3a541d67d65..0537dfd9bf3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                     self.set_context_if_different(
                         tmp_dest.name, context, False)
                 tmp_stat = os.stat(tmp_dest.name)
-                if dest_stat and (tmp_stat.st_uid != dest_stat.st_uid or tmp_stat.st_gid != dest_stat.st_gid):
+                if dest_stat and (tmp_stat.st_uid != dest_stat.st_uid or tmp_stat.st_gid != dest_stat.st_gid) and os.getuid() == 0:
                     os.chown(tmp_dest.name, dest_stat.st_uid, dest_stat.st_gid)
                 os.rename(tmp_dest.name, dest)
             except (shutil.Error, OSError, IOError), e: