diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 726eb4ff..0864d10b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ AC_CHECK_DECL(CLOCK_MONOTONIC,[],
 	      [[#include <time.h>]])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([execinfo.h])
 
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS([mkostemp strchrnul])
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS([mkostemp strchrnul initgroups])
 
 COMPOSITOR_MODULES="wayland-server >= 1.1.90 pixman-1"
 
diff --git a/src/weston-launch.c b/src/weston-launch.c
index 76dcede3..7d7b556d 100644
--- a/src/weston-launch.c
+++ b/src/weston-launch.c
@@ -631,9 +631,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 
 		if (setgid(wl.pw->pw_gid) < 0 ||
+#ifdef HAVE_INITGROUPS
+                    initgroups(wl.pw->pw_name, wl.pw->pw_gid) < 0 ||
+#endif
 		    setuid(wl.pw->pw_uid) < 0)
 			error(1, errno, "dropping privilidges failed");
 
+
 		if (sleep_fork) {
 			if (wl.verbose)
 				printf("weston-launch: waiting %d seconds\n", sleep_fork);