diff --git a/tcl/tcl_directory.c b/tcl/tcl_directory.c
index deb9e7a0d1..edf245b682 100644
--- a/tcl/tcl_directory.c
+++ b/tcl/tcl_directory.c
@@ -62,23 +62,12 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  ************************************************************************/
 
 static int doFull(char **output, int nid, unsigned char nodeUsage, int version);
-static char *mds_owner(                   /* Return: ptr to "user" string         */
-                       unsigned int owner /* <r> owner id */
-)
+/// @param uid - user id
+/// @return ptr to "user" string
+static char *mds_owner(unsigned int uid)
 {
   static char ownerString[512];
-  int gid = owner >> 16;
-  int uid = owner & 0xFFFF;
-  char *groupname = 0;
   char *username = 0;
-#ifdef HAVE_GETGRGID
-  struct group *g = getgrgid(gid);
-  if (g)
-  {
-    groupname = alloca(strlen(g->gr_name) + 3);
-    sprintf(groupname, "(%s)", g->gr_name);
-  }
-#endif
 #ifdef HAVE_GETPWUID
   struct passwd *p = getpwuid(uid);
   if (p)
@@ -87,11 +76,9 @@ static char *mds_owner(                   /* Return: ptr to "user" string
     sprintf(username, "(%s)", p->pw_name);
   }
 #endif
-  if (groupname == 0)
-    groupname = "";
   if (username == 0)
     username = "";
-  sprintf(ownerString, "gid=%d%s,uid=%d%s", gid, groupname, uid, username);
+  sprintf(ownerString, "uid=%d%s", uid, username);
   return (ownerString);
 }
 
diff --git a/tditest/testing/test-treeshr.ans b/tditest/testing/test-treeshr.ans
index df6b7e82c0..f443686d66 100644
--- a/tditest/testing/test-treeshr.ans
+++ b/tditest/testing/test-treeshr.ans
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ getnci(.subtree:a12,"parent_relationship")
 getnci(.subtree:a12,"get_flags")
 128LU
 getnci(.subtree:a12,"owner_id")
-4194368LU
+64LU
 getnci(.subtree:a12,"status")
 0LU
 getnci(.subtree:a12,"brother")
diff --git a/treeshr/TreeGetNci.c b/treeshr/TreeGetNci.c
index 02782e37b8..bb83f3cd14 100644
--- a/treeshr/TreeGetNci.c
+++ b/treeshr/TreeGetNci.c
@@ -276,7 +276,12 @@ int TreeGetNci(int nid_in, struct nci_itm *nci_itm)
       break_on_no_node;
       read_nci;
       set_retlen(sizeof(nci.owner_identifier));
-      *(unsigned int *)itm->pointer = nci.owner_identifier;
+      unsigned int owner = nci.owner_identifier;
+      if (!(nci.flags2 & NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI))
+      {
+        owner &= 0xFFFF;
+      }
+      *(unsigned int *)itm->pointer = owner;
       break;
     case NciCLASS:
       break_on_no_node;
diff --git a/treeshr/TreePutRecord.c b/treeshr/TreePutRecord.c
index 44cb67fb26..20082fa115 100644
--- a/treeshr/TreePutRecord.c
+++ b/treeshr/TreePutRecord.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ int _TreePutRecord(void *dbid, int nid, struct descriptor *descriptor_ptr,
   int nidx;
   unsigned int old_record_length = 0;
   static int saved_uic = 0;
+  static int saved_uic32 = 0;
   int shot_open;
   EXTENDED_ATTRIBUTES attributes;
   int extended = 0;
@@ -127,8 +128,15 @@ int _TreePutRecord(void *dbid, int nid, struct descriptor *descriptor_ptr,
   int compress_utility = utility_update == 2;
 #ifndef _WIN32
   if (!saved_uic)
-    saved_uic = (getgid() << 16) | getuid();
-#endif
+  {
+    saved_uic = getuid();
+    saved_uic32 = (saved_uic & 0xFFFF0000) != 0;
+    if (!saved_uic32)
+    {
+      saved_uic = (getgid() << 16) | (saved_uic);
+    }
+  }
+ #endif
   if (!(IS_OPEN(dblist)))
     return TreeNOT_OPEN;
   if (dblist->open_readonly)
@@ -181,13 +189,14 @@ int _TreePutRecord(void *dbid, int nid, struct descriptor *descriptor_ptr,
         TREETHREADSTATIC_INIT;
         local_nci.flags = TREE_TEMPNCI.flags;
         bitassign(0, local_nci.flags, NciM_VERSIONS);
+        bitassign((TREE_TEMPNCI.flags2 & NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI), local_nci.flags2, NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI);
         local_nci.owner_identifier = TREE_TEMPNCI.owner_identifier;
         local_nci.time_inserted = TREE_TEMPNCI.time_inserted;
       }
       else
       {
-        bitassign(dblist->setup_info, local_nci.flags,
-                  NciM_SETUP_INFORMATION);
+        bitassign(dblist->setup_info, local_nci.flags, NciM_SETUP_INFORMATION);
+        bitassign(saved_uic32, local_nci.flags2, NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI);
         local_nci.owner_identifier = saved_uic;
         /* VMS time = unixtime * 10,000,000 + 0x7c95674beb4000q */
         local_nci.time_inserted = TreeTimeInserted();
diff --git a/treeshr/TreeSegments.c b/treeshr/TreeSegments.c
index 712a704a13..022fc58be1 100644
--- a/treeshr/TreeSegments.c
+++ b/treeshr/TreeSegments.c
@@ -985,12 +985,24 @@ inline static int begin_finish(vars_t *vars)
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
 static int saved_uic = 0;
-static void init_saved_uic() { saved_uic = (getgid() << 16) | getuid(); }
+static int saved_uic32 = 0;
+static void init_saved_uic() {
+  if (!saved_uic)
+  {
+    saved_uic = getuid();
+    saved_uic32 = (saved_uic & 0xFFFF0000) != 0;
+    if (!saved_uic32)
+    {
+      saved_uic = (getgid() << 16) | (saved_uic);
+    }
+  }
+}
 #endif
 inline static void begin_local_nci(vars_t *vars,
                                    const mdsdsc_a_t *initialValue)
 {
-  vars->local_nci.flags2 &= ~NciM_DATA_IN_ATT_BLOCK;
+  // reset flag2 bits
+  vars->local_nci.flags2 &= ~(NciM_DATA_IN_ATT_BLOCK | NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI);
   vars->local_nci.dtype = initialValue->dtype;
   vars->local_nci.class = CLASS_R;
   vars->local_nci.time_inserted = TreeTimeInserted();
@@ -998,7 +1010,12 @@ inline static void begin_local_nci(vars_t *vars,
   RUN_FUNCTION_ONCE(init_saved_uic);
 #else
   const int saved_uic = 0;
+  const int saved_uic32 = 0;
 #endif
+  if (saved_uic32)
+  {
+    vars->local_nci.flags2 |= NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI;
+  }
   vars->local_nci.owner_identifier = saved_uic;
 }
 
diff --git a/treeshr/treeshrp.h b/treeshr/treeshrp.h
index 49f80de128..a6ac0682ba 100644
--- a/treeshr/treeshrp.h
+++ b/treeshr/treeshrp.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 #define NciV_NON_VMS 3
 #define NciM_EXTENDED_NCI 0x10
 #define NciV_EXTENDED_NCI 4
+#define NciM_32BIT_UID_NCI 0x20
+#define NciV_32BIT_UID_NCI 5
 
 typedef struct nci
 {