2 files changed, 4 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 980b3c2c..e01d76df 100755
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ Here is a history of user visible changes to Mailman.
 
   Bug fixes and other patches
 
+    - Fixed bin/mailmanctl to check its effective rather than real uid.
+      (LP: #1491187)
+
     - Fixed cron/gate_news to catch EOFError on opening the newsgroup.
       (LP: #1486263)
 
diff --git a/bin/mailmanctl b/bin/mailmanctl
index fa14a2cd..2c482221 100644
--- a/bin/mailmanctl
+++ b/bin/mailmanctl
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def check_privs():
     # the uid/gid.
     gid = grp.getgrnam(mm_cfg.MAILMAN_GROUP)[2]
     uid = pwd.getpwnam(mm_cfg.MAILMAN_USER)[2]
-    myuid = os.getuid()
+    myuid = os.geteuid()
     if myuid == 0:
         # Set the process's supplimental groups.
         groups = [x[2] for x in grp.getgrall() if mm_cfg.MAILMAN_USER in x[3]]