--- fcaps.eclass
+++ fcaps.eclass
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 # This is not the same as USE=caps which controls runtime capability changes,
 # often via packages like libcap.
 #
-# Due to probable capability-loss on moving or copying, this happens in
-# pkg_postinst phase (at least for now).
+# Due to possible capability-loss on moving or copying, this now happens
+# both in src_install and pkg_postinst. If it was needed in pkg_postinst, this
+# generates a warning.
 #
 # @EXAMPLE:
 # You can manually set the caps on ping and ping6 by doing:
@@ -39,10 +40,10 @@
 # @ECLASS-VARIABLE: FILECAPS
 # @DEFAULT_UNSET
 # @DESCRIPTION:
-# An array of fcap arguments to use to automatically execute fcaps.  See that
+# An array of fcap arguments to use to automatically execute fcaps. See that
 # function for more details.
 #
-# All args are consumed until the '--' marker is found.  So if you have:
+# All args are consumed until the '--' marker is found. So if you have:
 # @CODE
 # 	FILECAPS=( moo cow -- fat cat -- chubby penguin )
 # @CODE
@@ -72,8 +73,8 @@
 # capabilities were properly set on the file.
 #
 # If the system is unable to set capabilities, it will use the specified user,
-# group, and mode (presumably to make the binary set*id).  The defaults there
-# are root:0 and 4711.  Otherwise, the ownership and permissions will be
+# group, and mode (presumably to make the binary set*id). The defaults there
+# are root:0 and 4711. Otherwise, the ownership and permissions will be
 # unchanged.
 fcaps() {
 	debug-print-function ${FUNCNAME} "$@"
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@
 		[[ ${file} != /* ]] && file="${root}/${file}"
 
 		if use filecaps ; then
-			# Try to set capabilities.  Ignore errors when the
+			# Try to set capabilities. Ignore errors when the
 			# fs doesn't support it, but abort on all others.
 			debug-print "${FUNCNAME}: setting caps '${caps}' on '${file}'"
 
@@ -155,6 +156,27 @@
 
 			local out cmd notfound=0
 			for cmd in _libcap _libcap_ng ; do
+				# If in postinst, check whether caps were already set, as they normally should be
+				if [[ ${EBUILD_PHASE} == "postinst" ]] ; then
+					if out=$(LC_ALL=C ${cmd}_verify 2>&1) ; then
+						debug-print "Caps '${caps}' were already set on '${file}'"
+					else
+						case ${out} in
+						*"command not found"*)
+							: $(( ++notfound ))
+							continue
+							;;
+						*)
+							ewarn "Caps weren't set, although we expected them to be set:"
+							ewarn "* portage will now set caps ${caps} on $file"
+							ewarn "* please verify that moving/copying files doesn't destroy XATTRs"
+							;;
+						esac
+					fi
+				else
+					debug-print "Setting caps '${caps}' on '${file}'"
+				fi
+
 				if ! out=$(LC_ALL=C ${cmd} 2>&1) ; then
 					case ${out} in
 					*"command not found"*)
@@ -173,14 +195,14 @@
 						break
 						;;
 					*)
-						eerror "Setting caps '${caps}' on file '${file}' failed:"
+						eerror "Setting caps '${caps}' on file '${file}' with '${cmd}' failed:"
 						eerror "${out}"
-						die "could not set caps"
+						die "Could not set caps"
 						;;
 					esac
 				else
 					# Sanity check that everything took.
-					${cmd}_verify || die "Checking caps '${caps}' on '${file}' failed"
+					${cmd}_verify && debug-print "Caps '${caps}' are set on '${file}'" || die "Checking caps '${caps}' on '${file}' failed"
 
 					# Everything worked.  Move on to the next file.
 					continue 2
@@ -199,19 +221,32 @@
 	done
 }
 
+# @FUNCTION: fcaps_parse
+# @DESCRIPTION:
+# Process the FILECAPS array.
+fcaps_parse() {
+	# only proceed if FILECAPS is set and not empty
+	if [ ${FILECAPS[0]} ] ; then
+		local arg args=()
+		for arg in "${FILECAPS[@]}" "--" ; do
+			if [[ ${arg} == "--" ]] ; then
+				fcaps "${args[@]}"
+				args=()
+			else
+				args+=( "${arg}" )
+			fi
+		done
+	else
+		debug-print "${FUNCNAME}: FILECAPS is empty but ebuild uses fcap, assuming direct fcaps call"
+	fi
+}
+
+
 # @FUNCTION: fcaps_pkg_postinst
 # @DESCRIPTION:
 # Process the FILECAPS array.
 fcaps_pkg_postinst() {
-	local arg args=()
-	for arg in "${FILECAPS[@]}" "--" ; do
-		if [[ ${arg} == "--" ]] ; then
-			fcaps "${args[@]}"
-			args=()
-		else
-			args+=( "${arg}" )
-		fi
-	done
+	fcaps_parse
 }
 
 EXPORT_FUNCTIONS pkg_postinst