diff --git a/lib/libutil/gr_util.c b/lib/libutil/gr_util.c
index 323d3ff8ee3e..6d96d5e9405e 100644
--- a/lib/libutil/gr_util.c
+++ b/lib/libutil/gr_util.c
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ static const char group_line_format[] = "%s:%s:%ju:";
 int
 gr_init(const char *dir, const char *group)
 {
-	struct stat st;
 
 	if (dir == NULL) {
 		strcpy(group_dir, _PATH_ETC);
@@ -91,14 +90,6 @@ gr_init(const char *dir, const char *group)
 		strcpy(group_file, group);
 	}
 
-	if (stat(group_file, &st) == -1)
-		return (-1);
-
-	if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
-		errno = EISDIR;
-		return (-1);
-	}
-
 	initialized = 1;
 	return (0);
 }
diff --git a/lib/libutil/pw_util.c b/lib/libutil/pw_util.c
index 6013e6d0640f..4bf3001ffe79 100644
--- a/lib/libutil/pw_util.c
+++ b/lib/libutil/pw_util.c
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ pw_init(const char *dir, const char *master)
 #if 0
 	struct rlimit rlim;
 #endif
-	struct stat st;
 
 	if (dir == NULL) {
 		strcpy(passwd_dir, _PATH_ETC);
@@ -124,14 +123,6 @@ pw_init(const char *dir, const char *master)
 		strcpy(masterpasswd, master);
 	}
 
-	if (stat(masterpasswd, &st) == -1)
-		return (-1);
-
-	if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
-		errno = EISDIR;
-		return (-1);
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * The code that follows is extremely disruptive to the calling
 	 * process, and is therefore disabled until someone can conceive