diff --git a/init/util.c b/init/util.c
index 9aaa77d47..5efd5bebe 100644
--- a/init/util.c
+++ b/init/util.c
@@ -524,31 +524,50 @@ int make_dir(const char *path, mode_t mode)
     return rc;
 }
 
-int restorecon(const char *pathname)
+static int restorecon_sb(const char *pathname, const struct stat *sb)
 {
     char *secontext = NULL;
-    struct stat sb;
+    char *oldsecontext = NULL;
     int i;
 
+    if (selabel_lookup(sehandle, &secontext, pathname, sb->st_mode) < 0)
+        return -errno;
+
+    if (lgetfilecon(pathname, &oldsecontext) < 0) {
+        freecon(secontext);
+        return -errno;
+    }
+
+    if (strcmp(oldsecontext, secontext) != 0) {
+        if (lsetfilecon(pathname, secontext) < 0) {
+            freecon(oldsecontext);
+            freecon(secontext);
+            return -errno;
+        }
+    }
+    freecon(oldsecontext);
+    freecon(secontext);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int restorecon(const char *pathname)
+{
+    struct stat sb;
+
     if (is_selinux_enabled() <= 0 || !sehandle)
         return 0;
 
     if (lstat(pathname, &sb) < 0)
         return -errno;
-    if (selabel_lookup(sehandle, &secontext, pathname, sb.st_mode) < 0)
-        return -errno;
-    if (lsetfilecon(pathname, secontext) < 0) {
-        freecon(secontext);
-        return -errno;
-    }
-    freecon(secontext);
-    return 0;
+
+    return restorecon_sb(pathname, &sb);
 }
 
 static int nftw_restorecon(const char* filename, const struct stat* statptr,
-    int fileflags, struct FTW* pftw)
+    int fileflags __attribute__((unused)),
+    struct FTW* pftw __attribute__((unused)))
 {
-    restorecon(filename);
+    restorecon_sb(filename, statptr);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -556,5 +575,9 @@ int restorecon_recursive(const char* pathname)
 {
     int fd_limit = 20;
     int flags = FTW_DEPTH | FTW_MOUNT | FTW_PHYS;
+
+    if (is_selinux_enabled() <= 0 || !sehandle)
+        return 0;
+
     return nftw(pathname, nftw_restorecon, fd_limit, flags);
 }