Index: usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
===================================================================
--- usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
+++ usr.bin/xinstall/tests/install_test.sh
@@ -377,6 +377,28 @@
 	atf_check install -d dir1/dir2/dir3
 }
 
+atf_test_case hardlink_snap
+hardlink_snap_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Check that -C snaps hardlinks when necessary"
+}
+hardlink_snap_body() {
+	echo test1 > s
+	atf_check install -C s a
+	ln a b
+	atf_check install -C s a
+	[ "$(stat -f %i a)" = "$(stat -f %i b)" ] ||
+		atf_fail 'inode changed'
+	echo test2 > s
+	atf_check install -C s a
+	[ "$(stat -f %i a)" = "$(stat -f %i b)" ] &&
+		atf_fail 'inode not changed'
+	ln -f a b
+	atf_check install -C -m 0 s a
+	[ "$(stat -f %i a)" = "$(stat -f %i b)" ] &&
+		atf_fail 'inode not changed!'
+	true
+}
+
 atf_test_case symbolic_link_relative_absolute_common
 symbolic_link_relative_absolute_common_head() {
 	atf_set "descr" "Verify -l rs with absolute paths having common components"
@@ -440,4 +462,5 @@
 	atf_add_test_case symbolic_link_relative_absolute_source_and_dest2
 	atf_add_test_case symbolic_link_relative_absolute_common
 	atf_add_test_case mkdir_simple
+	atf_add_test_case hardlink_snap
 }
Index: usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
===================================================================
--- usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
+++ usr.bin/xinstall/xinstall.c
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@
 {
 	struct stat from_sb, temp_sb, to_sb;
 	struct timespec tsb[2];
-	int devnull, files_match, from_fd, serrno, target;
+	int devnull, files_match, from_fd, serrno, target, chgattr, tsbset;
 	int tempcopy, temp_fd, to_fd;
 	char backup[MAXPATHLEN], *p, pathbuf[MAXPATHLEN], tempfile[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char *digestresult;
@@ -775,6 +775,7 @@
 	files_match = 0;
 	from_fd = -1;
 	to_fd = -1;
+	tsbset = 0;
 
 	/* If try to install NULL file to a directory, fails. */
 	if (flags & DIRECTORY || strcmp(from_name, _PATH_DEVNULL)) {
@@ -822,6 +823,17 @@
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* Determine if we're going to try to change the file's
+	 * attributes later on. */
+	chgattr = target &&
+	   ((!dounpriv && gid != (gid_t)-1 && gid != to_sb.st_gid) ||
+	   (!dounpriv && uid != (uid_t)-1 && uid != to_sb.st_uid) ||
+	   (mode != (to_sb.st_mode &
+	   (dounpriv ? (S_IRWXU|S_IRWXG|S_IRWXO) : ALLPERMS))) ||
+	   (flags & SETFLAGS ?
+	   to_sb.st_flags != fset : devnull ? 0 :
+	   to_sb.st_flags != (from_sb.st_flags & ~UF_NODUMP)));
+
 	/* Only copy safe if the target exists. */
 	tempcopy = safecopy && target;
 
@@ -832,12 +844,26 @@
 	if (docompare && !dostrip && target && S_ISREG(to_sb.st_mode)) {
 		if ((to_fd = open(to_name, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0)
 			err(EX_OSERR, "%s", to_name);
-		if (devnull)
-			files_match = to_sb.st_size == 0;
-		else
-			files_match = !(compare(from_fd, from_name,
+		if (devnull ? to_sb.st_size == 0 :
+		    compare(from_fd, from_name,
 			    (size_t)from_sb.st_size, to_fd,
-			    to_name, (size_t)to_sb.st_size, &digestresult));
+			    to_name, (size_t)to_sb.st_size,
+			    &digestresult) == 0) {
+			/*
+			 * If target has more than one link and we
+			 * want to change its attributes, we need to
+			 * replace it in order to snap the extra
+			 * links.  Need to preserve target file times,
+			 * though.
+			 */
+			if (to_sb.st_nlink != 1 && chgattr) {
+				tsbset = 1;
+				tsb[0] = to_sb.st_atim;
+				tsb[1] = to_sb.st_mtim;
+			} else {
+				files_match = 1;
+			}
+		}
 
 		/* Close "to" file unless we match. */
 		if (!files_match)
@@ -899,14 +925,16 @@
 			    to_name, (size_t)to_sb.st_size, &digestresult)
 			    == 0) {
 			/*
-			 * If target has more than one link we need to
-			 * replace it in order to snap the extra links.
-			 * Need to preserve target file times, though.
+			 * If target has more than one link and we
+			 * want to change its attributes, we need to
+			 * replace it in order to snap the extra
+			 * links.  Need to preserve target file times,
+			 * though.
 			 */
-			if (to_sb.st_nlink != 1) {
+			if (to_sb.st_nlink != 1 && chgattr) {
+				tsbset = 1;
 				tsb[0] = to_sb.st_atim;
 				tsb[1] = to_sb.st_mtim;
-				(void)utimensat(AT_FDCWD, tempfile, tsb, 0);
 			} else {
 				files_match = 1;
 				(void)unlink(tempfile);
@@ -976,9 +1004,11 @@
 	/*
 	 * Preserve the timestamp of the source file if necessary.
 	 */
-	if (dopreserve && !files_match && !devnull) {
-		tsb[0] = from_sb.st_atim;
-		tsb[1] = from_sb.st_mtim;
+	if ((dopreserve && !files_match && !devnull) || tsbset) {
+		if (!tsbset) {
+			tsb[0] = from_sb.st_atim;
+			tsb[1] = from_sb.st_mtim;
+		}
 		(void)utimensat(AT_FDCWD, to_name, tsb, 0);
 	}
 
@@ -1030,8 +1060,9 @@
 	 * trying to turn off UF_NODUMP.  If we're trying to set real flags,
 	 * then warn if the fs doesn't support it, otherwise fail.
 	 */
-	if (!dounpriv & !devnull && (flags & SETFLAGS ||
-	    (from_sb.st_flags & ~UF_NODUMP) != to_sb.st_flags) &&
+	if (!dounpriv && (flags & SETFLAGS ||
+	    (!devnull && (from_sb.st_flags & ~UF_NODUMP) !=
+	    to_sb.st_flags)) &&
 	    fchflags(to_fd,
 	    flags & SETFLAGS ? fset : from_sb.st_flags & ~UF_NODUMP)) {
 		if (flags & SETFLAGS) {