diff --git a/libmisc/root_flag.c b/libmisc/root_flag.c
index 62915b06..5572831a 100644
--- a/libmisc/root_flag.c
+++ b/libmisc/root_flag.c
@@ -91,16 +91,16 @@ static void change_root (const char* newroot)
 		exit (E_BAD_ARG);
 	}
 
-	if (chdir (newroot) != 0) {
+	if (chroot (newroot) != 0) {
 		fprintf(log_get_logfd(),
-				_("%s: cannot chdir to chroot directory %s: %s\n"),
+			        _("%s: unable to chroot to directory %s: %s\n"),
 				log_get_progname(), newroot, strerror (errno));
 		exit (E_BAD_ARG);
 	}
 
-	if (chroot (newroot) != 0) {
+	if (chdir ("/") != 0) {
 		fprintf(log_get_logfd(),
-		        _("%s: unable to chroot to directory %s: %s\n"),
+			_("%s: cannot chdir in chroot directory %s: %s\n"),
 		        log_get_progname(), newroot, strerror (errno));
 		exit (E_BAD_ARG);
 	}
diff --git a/libmisc/sub.c b/libmisc/sub.c
index 821596d1..d8e24473 100644
--- a/libmisc/sub.c
+++ b/libmisc/sub.c
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ void subsystem (const struct passwd *pw)
 	 * must be able to change into it.
 	 */
 
-	if (   (chdir (pw->pw_dir) != 0)
-	    || (chroot (pw->pw_dir) != 0)) {
+	if (   (chroot (pw->pw_dir) != 0)
+	    || (chdir ("/") != 0)) {
 		(void) printf (_("Can't change root directory to '%s'\n"),
 		               pw->pw_dir);
 		SYSLOG ((LOG_WARN, NO_SUBROOT2, pw->pw_dir, pw->pw_name));