diff --git a/src/openvpn/platform.c b/src/openvpn/platform.c
index 580c4cb8..f6b856f3 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/platform.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/platform.c
@@ -85,11 +85,16 @@ platform_user_get(const char *username, struct platform_state_user *state)
     if (username)
     {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETPWNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETUID)
-        state->pw = getpwnam(username);
-        if (!state->pw)
+        state->uid = -1;
+        const struct passwd *pw = getpwnam(username);
+        if (!pw)
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "failed to find UID for user %s", username);
         }
+        else
+        {
+            state->uid = pw->pw_uid;
+        }
         state->username = username;
         ret = true;
 #else  /* if defined(HAVE_GETPWNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETUID) */
@@ -103,9 +108,9 @@ static void
 platform_user_set(const struct platform_state_user *state)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETPWNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETUID)
-    if (state->username && state->pw)
+    if (state->username && state->uid >= 0)
     {
-        if (setuid(state->pw->pw_uid))
+        if (setuid(state->uid))
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "setuid('%s') failed", state->username);
         }
@@ -124,11 +129,16 @@ platform_group_get(const char *groupname, struct platform_state_group *state)
     if (groupname)
     {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETGRNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETGID)
-        state->gr = getgrnam(groupname);
-        if (!state->gr)
+        state->gid = -1;
+        const struct group *gr = getgrnam(groupname);
+        if (!gr)
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "failed to find GID for group %s", groupname);
         }
+        else
+        {
+            state->gid = gr->gr_gid;
+        }
         state->groupname = groupname;
         ret = true;
 #else  /* if defined(HAVE_GETGRNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETGID) */
@@ -142,9 +152,9 @@ static void
 platform_group_set(const struct platform_state_group *state)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETGRNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETGID)
-    if (state->groupname && state->gr)
+    if (state->groupname && state->gid >= 0)
     {
-        if (setgid(state->gr->gr_gid))
+        if (setgid(state->gid))
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "setgid('%s') failed", state->groupname);
         }
@@ -152,7 +162,7 @@ platform_group_set(const struct platform_state_group *state)
 #ifdef HAVE_SETGROUPS
         {
             gid_t gr_list[1];
-            gr_list[0] = state->gr->gr_gid;
+            gr_list[0] = state->gid;
             if (setgroups(1, gr_list))
             {
                 msg(M_ERR, "setgroups('%s') failed", state->groupname);
@@ -225,13 +235,13 @@ platform_user_group_set(const struct platform_state_user *user_state,
      * new_uid/new_gid defaults to -1, which will not make
      * libcap-ng change the UID/GID unless configured
      */
-    if (group_state->groupname && group_state->gr)
+    if (group_state->groupname && group_state->gid >= 0)
     {
-        new_gid = group_state->gr->gr_gid;
+        new_gid = group_state->gid;
     }
-    if (user_state->username && user_state->pw)
+    if (user_state->username && user_state->uid >= 0)
     {
-        new_uid = user_state->pw->pw_uid;
+        new_uid = user_state->uid;
     }
 
     /* Prepare capabilities before dropping UID/GID */
diff --git a/src/openvpn/platform.h b/src/openvpn/platform.h
index a35a571c..d8dad74b 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/platform.h
+++ b/src/openvpn/platform.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ struct context;
 struct platform_state_user {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETPWNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETUID)
     const char *username;
-    struct passwd *pw;
+    uid_t uid;
 #else
     int dummy;
 #endif
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct platform_state_user {
 struct platform_state_group {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETGRNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETGID)
     const char *groupname;
-    struct group *gr;
+    gid_t gid;
 #else
     int dummy;
 #endif
@@ -97,10 +97,7 @@ static inline int
 platform_state_user_uid(const struct platform_state_user *s)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETPWNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETUID)
-    if (s->pw)
-    {
-        return s->pw->pw_uid;
-    }
+    return s->uid;
 #endif
     return -1;
 }
@@ -109,10 +106,7 @@ static inline int
 platform_state_group_gid(const struct platform_state_group *s)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_GETGRNAM) && defined(HAVE_SETGID)
-    if (s->gr)
-    {
-        return s->gr->gr_gid;
-    }
+    return s->gid;
 #endif
     return -1;
 }
diff --git a/src/openvpn/tun.c b/src/openvpn/tun.c
index a1414d23..87033277 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/tun.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/tun.c
@@ -2242,7 +2242,7 @@ tuncfg(const char *dev, const char *dev_type, const char *dev_node,
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "Cannot get user entry for %s", username);
         }
-        else if (ioctl(tt->fd, TUNSETOWNER, platform_state_user.pw->pw_uid) < 0)
+        else if (ioctl(tt->fd, TUNSETOWNER, platform_state_user.uid) < 0)
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "Cannot ioctl TUNSETOWNER(%s) %s", username, dev);
         }
@@ -2255,7 +2255,7 @@ tuncfg(const char *dev, const char *dev_type, const char *dev_node,
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "Cannot get group entry for %s", groupname);
         }
-        else if (ioctl(tt->fd, TUNSETGROUP, platform_state_group.gr->gr_gid) < 0)
+        else if (ioctl(tt->fd, TUNSETGROUP, platform_state_group.gid) < 0)
         {
             msg(M_ERR, "Cannot ioctl TUNSETGROUP(%s) %s", groupname, dev);
         }