Index: pym/portage.py
===================================================================
--- pym/portage.py	(revision 7661)
+++ pym/portage.py	(revision 7662)
@@ -3191,7 +3191,8 @@
 	phase_retval = spawn(actionmap[mydo]["cmd"] % mydo, mysettings, debug=debug, logfile=logfile, **kwargs)
 	mysettings["EBUILD_PHASE"] = ""
 
-	if not kwargs["droppriv"] and secpass >= 2:
+	if "userpriv" in mysettings.features and \
+		not kwargs["droppriv"] and secpass >= 2:
 		""" Privileged phases may have left files that need to be made
 		writable to a less privileged user."""
 		apply_recursive_permissions(mysettings["T"],