Index: head/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
+++ head/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@
 	dp = NULL;
 	cnp->cn_nameptr = cnp->cn_pnbuf;
 	if (cnp->cn_pnbuf[0] == '/') {
+		ndp->ni_resflags |= NIRES_ABS;
 		error = namei_handle_root(ndp, &dp);
 	} else {
 		if (ndp->ni_startdir != NULL) {
@@ -1302,6 +1303,7 @@
 	ndp->ni_dirp = namep;
 	ndp->ni_dirfd = dirfd;
 	ndp->ni_startdir = startdir;
+	ndp->ni_resflags = 0;
 	filecaps_init(&ndp->ni_filecaps);
 	ndp->ni_cnd.cn_thread = td;
 	if (rightsp != NULL)
Index: head/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
+++ head/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
@@ -3544,10 +3544,10 @@
 			goto out;
 		}
 #ifdef CAPABILITIES
-		if (newfd != AT_FDCWD) {
+		if (newfd != AT_FDCWD && (tond.ni_resflags & NIRES_ABS) == 0) {
 			/*
 			 * If the target already exists we require CAP_UNLINKAT
-			 * from 'newfd'.
+			 * from 'newfd', when newfd was used for the lookup.
 			 */
 			error = cap_check(&tond.ni_filecaps.fc_rights,
 			    &cap_unlinkat_rights);
Index: head/sys/sys/namei.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/sys/namei.h
+++ head/sys/sys/namei.h
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@
 	struct	vnode *ni_vp;		/* vnode of result */
 	struct	vnode *ni_dvp;		/* vnode of intermediate directory */
 	/*
+	 * Results: flags returned from namei
+	 */
+	u_int	ni_resflags;
+	/*
 	 * Shared between namei and lookup/commit routines.
 	 */
 	size_t	ni_pathlen;		/* remaining chars in path */
@@ -158,6 +162,11 @@
 #define	TRAILINGSLASH	0x10000000 /* path ended in a slash */
 #define	NOCAPCHECK	0x20000000 /* do not perform capability checks */
 #define	PARAMASK	0x3ffffe00 /* mask of parameter descriptors */
+
+/*
+ * Namei results flags
+ */
+#define	NIRES_ABS	0x00000001 /* Path was absolute */
 
 /*
  * Flags in ni_lcf, valid for the duration of the namei call.