diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 3b72e456c69..52360010c09 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1306,6 +1306,7 @@ libsss_util_la_CFLAGS = \
 libsss_util_la_LIBADD = \
     $(LIBADD_TIMER) \
     $(SSSD_LIBS) \
+    $(CAP_LIBS) \
     $(SYSTEMD_LOGIN_LIBS) \
     $(UNICODE_LIBS) \
     $(PCRE_LIBS) \
@@ -4698,6 +4699,7 @@ krb5_child_LDADD = \
     $(CLIENT_LIBS) \
     $(SYSTEMD_LOGIN_LIBS) \
     $(JANSSON_LIBS) \
+    $(CAP_LIBS) \
     $(NULL)
 
 ldap_child_SOURCES = \
@@ -4723,6 +4725,7 @@ ldap_child_LDADD = \
     libsss_debug.la \
     $(TALLOC_LIBS) \
     $(POPT_LIBS) \
+    $(CAP_LIBS) \
     $(DHASH_LIBS) \
     $(KRB5_LIBS)
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 270b8ef376d..47f27569675 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -516,6 +516,13 @@ AS_IF([test x$have_check = x], [
     AC_CHECK_HEADERS([check.h],,AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find CHECK headers]))
 ])
 
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CAP], [libcap], [have_libcap=1], [have_libcap=])
+AS_IF([test x$have_libcap = x], [
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([libcap is missing])
+], [
+    AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/capability.h],,AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find sys/capability.h headers]))
+])
+
 AC_PATH_PROG([DOXYGEN], [doxygen], [false])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_DOXYGEN], [test x$DOXYGEN != xfalse ])
 
diff --git a/contrib/sssd.spec.in b/contrib/sssd.spec.in
index 1fc6dda6fca..e122538d3a2 100644
--- a/contrib/sssd.spec.in
+++ b/contrib/sssd.spec.in
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ BuildRequires: gettext-devel
 # required for p11_child smartcard tests
 BuildRequires: gnutls-utils
 BuildRequires: jansson-devel
+BuildRequires: libcap-devel
 BuildRequires: libcurl-devel
 BuildRequires: libjose-devel
 BuildRequires: keyutils-libs-devel
diff --git a/src/util/become_user.c b/src/util/become_user.c
index c3f726d1894..f9ae4ed6209 100644
--- a/src/util/become_user.c
+++ b/src/util/become_user.c
@@ -210,3 +210,48 @@ errno_t restore_creds(struct sss_creds *saved_creds)
                         saved_creds->num_gids,
                         saved_creds->gids, NULL);
 }
+
+errno_t sss_drop_cap(cap_value_t cap)
+{
+    int ret;
+
+    cap_t caps = cap_get_proc();
+    if (caps == NULL) {
+        ret = errno;
+        DEBUG(SSSDBG_TRACE_FUNC, "cap_get_proc() failed: %d ('%s')\n",
+              ret, strerror(ret));
+        return ret;
+    }
+    if (cap_set_flag(caps, CAP_EFFECTIVE, 1, &cap, 0) == -1) {
+        ret = errno;
+        DEBUG(SSSDBG_TRACE_FUNC,
+              "cap_set_flag(CAP_EFFECTIVE) failed: %d ('%s')\n",
+              ret, strerror(ret));
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (cap_set_flag(caps, CAP_PERMITTED, 1, &cap, 0) == -1) {
+        ret = errno;
+        DEBUG(SSSDBG_TRACE_FUNC,
+              "cap_set_flag(CAP_PERMITTED) failed: %d ('%s')\n",
+              ret, strerror(ret));
+        goto done;
+    }
+    if (cap_set_proc(caps) == -1) {
+        ret = errno;
+        DEBUG(SSSDBG_TRACE_FUNC, "cap_set_proc() failed: %d ('%s')\n",
+              ret, strerror(ret));
+        goto done;
+    }
+
+    ret = 0;
+
+done:
+    if (cap_free(caps) == -1) {
+        if (ret == 0) {
+            ret = errno;
+        }
+        DEBUG(SSSDBG_TRACE_FUNC, "cap_free() failed\n");
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/util/util.h b/src/util/util.h
index 76086315f77..a3ef2af55c4 100644
--- a/src/util/util.h
+++ b/src/util/util.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <sys/un.h>
+#include <sys/capability.h>
 
 #include <talloc.h>
 #include <tevent.h>
@@ -751,6 +752,7 @@ errno_t switch_creds(TALLOC_CTX *mem_ctx,
                      int num_gids, gid_t *gids,
                      struct sss_creds **saved_creds);
 errno_t restore_creds(struct sss_creds *saved_creds);
+errno_t sss_drop_cap(cap_value_t cap);
 
 /* from sss_semanage.c */
 /* Please note that libsemange relies on files and directories created with