diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 8cba0af4..0aae5508 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -107,10 +107,6 @@ if !WITH_SYSTEM_BWRAP
 if PRIV_MODE_SETUID
 	$(SUDO_BIN) chown root $(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)/flatpak-bwrap
 	$(SUDO_BIN) chmod u+s $(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)/flatpak-bwrap
-else
-if PRIV_MODE_FILECAPS
-	$(SUDO_BIN) setcap cap_sys_admin,cap_net_admin,cap_sys_chroot,cap_setuid,cap_setgid+ep $(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)/flatpak-bwrap
-endif # PRIV_MODE_FILECAPS
 endif # !PRIV_MODE_SETUID
 endif # !WITH_SYSTEM_BWRAP
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 06534314..722578ae 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -206,12 +206,11 @@ if test "x$enable_seccomp" = "xyes"; then
 fi
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(priv-mode,
-            AS_HELP_STRING([--with-priv-mode=setuid/caps/none],
+            AS_HELP_STRING([--with-priv-mode=setuid/none],
                            [How to set privilege-raising during install (only needed if userns not working)]),
             [],
             [with_priv_mode="none"])
 
-AM_CONDITIONAL(PRIV_MODE_FILECAPS, test "x$with_priv_mode" = "xcaps")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(PRIV_MODE_SETUID, test "x$with_priv_mode" = "xsetuid")
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(sudo,