diff --git a/bin/chmod/chmod.c b/bin/chmod/chmod.c
index 97c9c02f0729..83a31c7d92fc 100644
--- a/bin/chmod/chmod.c
+++ b/bin/chmod/chmod.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ done:	argv += optind;
 			fts_options |= FTS_LOGICAL;
 		}
 	} else
-		fts_options = FTS_LOGICAL;
+		fts_options = hflag ? FTS_PHYSICAL : FTS_LOGICAL;
 
 	if (hflag)
 		change_mode = lchmod;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/chown/chown.c b/usr.sbin/chown/chown.c
index b86af0e42730..87eb8c25f34d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/chown/chown.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/chown/chown.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ main(argc, argv)
 			fts_options |= FTS_LOGICAL;
 		}
 	} else
-		fts_options = FTS_LOGICAL;
+		fts_options = hflag ? FTS_PHYSICAL : FTS_LOGICAL;
 
 	uid = gid = -1;
 	if (ischown) {