diff --git a/src/core/global.h b/src/core/global.h
--- a/src/core/global.h
+++ b/src/core/global.h
@@ -245,7 +245,9 @@
     ERR_DROP_ON_ITSELF = KJob::UserDefinedError + 70, ///< from KIO::DropJob, @since 5.6
     ERR_CANNOT_MOVE_INTO_ITSELF = KJob::UserDefinedError + 71, ///< emitted by KIO::move, @since 5.18
     ERR_PASSWD_SERVER = KJob::UserDefinedError + 72, ///< returned by SlaveBase::openPasswordDialogV2, @since 5.24
-    ERR_CANNOT_CREATE_SLAVE = KJob::UserDefinedError + 73 ///< used by Slave::createSlave, @since 5.30
+    ERR_CANNOT_CREATE_SLAVE = KJob::UserDefinedError + 73, ///< used by Slave::createSlave, @since 5.30
+
+    ERR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_REQUIRED = KJob::UserDefinedError + 74 ///< used by file ioslave, @since 5.50
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/core/job_error.cpp b/src/core/job_error.cpp
--- a/src/core/job_error.cpp
+++ b/src/core/job_error.cpp
@@ -245,6 +245,9 @@
     case KIO::ERR_CANNOT_CREATE_SLAVE:
         result = i18n("Unable to create io-slave. %1", errorText);
         break;
+    case KIO::ERR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_REQUIRED:
+        result = i18n("Privilege escalation is not necessary because \n'%1' is owned by the current user.\nPlease retry after changing permissions.", errorText);
+        break;
     default:
         result = i18n("Unknown error code %1\n%2\nPlease send a full bug report at http://bugs.kde.org.",  errorCode,  errorText);
         break;
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp b/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
@@ -851,6 +851,19 @@
         return PrivilegeOperationReturnValue::failure(errcode);
     }
 
+    const QUrl targetUrl = QUrl::fromLocalFile(args.first().toString()); // target is always the first item.
+    const bool useParent = action != CHOWN && action != CHMOD && action != UTIME;
+    const QString targetPath = useParent ? targetUrl.adjusted(QUrl::RemoveFilename).toLocalFile() : targetUrl.toLocalFile();
+    bool userIsOwner = QFileInfo(targetPath).ownerId() == getuid();
+    if (action == RENAME) { // for rename check src and dest owner
+        QString dest = QUrl(args[1].toString()).toLocalFile();
+        userIsOwner = userIsOwner && QFileInfo(dest).ownerId() == getuid();
+    }
+    if (userIsOwner) {
+        error(KIO::ERR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_REQUIRED, targetPath);
+        return PrivilegeOperationReturnValue::canceled();
+    }
+
     QByteArray helperArgs;
     QDataStream out(&helperArgs, QIODevice::WriteOnly);
     out << action;