diff --git a/internal/fsext/parent.go b/internal/fsext/parent.go
index 4a9e58cd6d7f208fca4023b2fd8ba70753026ea0..1b04143660e7700c51693ededf90ef7489a10e18 100644
--- a/internal/fsext/parent.go
+++ b/internal/fsext/parent.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 
 // SearchParent searches for a target file or directory starting from dir
 // and walking up the directory tree until found or root or home is reached.
+// It also checks the ownership of directories to ensure that the search does
+// not cross ownership boundaries.
 // Returns the full path to the target if found, empty string and false otherwise.
 // The search includes the starting directory itself.
 func SearchParent(dir, target string) (string, bool) {
@@ -24,6 +26,10 @@ func SearchParent(dir, target string) (string, bool) {
 	}
 
 	previousParent := absDir
+	previousOwner, err := Owner(previousParent)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", false
+	}
 
 	for {
 		parent := filepath.Dir(previousParent)
@@ -31,6 +37,14 @@ func SearchParent(dir, target string) (string, bool) {
 			return "", false
 		}
 
+		parentOwner, err := Owner(parent)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", false
+		}
+		if parentOwner != previousOwner {
+			return "", false
+		}
+
 		path := filepath.Join(parent, target)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
 			return path, true
@@ -39,5 +53,6 @@ func SearchParent(dir, target string) (string, bool) {
 		}
 
 		previousParent = parent
+		previousOwner = parentOwner
 	}
 }