diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
index d4237014..07d83ac8 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
@@ -78,16 +78,26 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 	fileStat, _ = os.Stat(path.Join(containerPath, "/etc/passwd"))
 	unixStat = fileStat.Sys().(*syscall.Stat_t)
+	syncuids := false
 	if passwdTime.Before(time.Unix(int64(unixStat.Ctim.Sec), int64(unixStat.Ctim.Nsec))) {
-		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "/etc/passwd has been modified, maybe you want to run syncuser\n")
+		if NoSyncUser {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "/etc/passwd has been modified, maybe you want to run syncuser\n")
+		}
+		syncuids = true
 	}
 	wwlog.Printf(wwlog.DEBUG, "passwd: %v\n", time.Unix(int64(unixStat.Ctim.Sec), int64(unixStat.Ctim.Nsec)))
 	fileStat, _ = os.Stat(path.Join(containerPath, "/etc/group"))
 	unixStat = fileStat.Sys().(*syscall.Stat_t)
 	if groupTime.Before(time.Unix(int64(unixStat.Ctim.Sec), int64(unixStat.Ctim.Nsec))) {
-		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "/etc/group has been modified, maybe you want to run syncuser\n")
+		if NoSyncUser {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "/etc/group has been modified, maybe you want to run syncuser\n")
+		}
+		syncuids = true
 	}
 	wwlog.Printf(wwlog.DEBUG, "group: %v\n", time.Unix(int64(unixStat.Ctim.Sec), int64(unixStat.Ctim.Nsec)))
+	if syncuids && !NoSyncUser {
+		container.SyncUids(containerName, true)
+	}
 
 	fmt.Printf("Rebuilding container...\n")
 	err = container.Build(containerName, false)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/root.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/root.go
index 913d4f79..5294b591 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/root.go
@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ var (
 		},
 		FParseErrWhitelist: cobra.FParseErrWhitelist{UnknownFlags: true},
 	}
-	binds []string
+	NoSyncUser bool
+	binds      []string
 )
 
 func init() {
 	baseCmd.AddCommand(child.GetCommand())
 	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().StringArrayVarP(&binds, "bind", "b", []string{}, "Bind a local path into the container (must exist)")
+	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&NoSyncUser, "nosyncuser", false, "Don't synchronize uis/gods from host to container")
 }
 
 // GetRootCommand returns the root cobra.Command for the application.
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/main.go
index 8f2e6bcc..f93c439a 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/main.go
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "Could not copy /etc/resolv.conf into container: %s\n", err)
 	}
 
-	err = container.SyncUids(name, SyncUser)
-	if err != nil && SyncUser {
+	err = container.SyncUids(name, !NoSyncUser)
+	if err != nil && !NoSyncUser {
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Error in user sync, fix error and run 'syncuser' manually: %s\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/root.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/root.go
index a5df6030..ee9c960b 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/imprt/root.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Imported containers are used to create bootable VNFS images.`,
 	SetUpdate  bool
 	SetBuild   bool
 	SetDefault bool
-	SyncUser   bool
+	NoSyncUser bool
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func init() {
 	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&SetUpdate, "update", "u", false, "Update and overwrite an existing container")
 	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&SetBuild, "build", "b", false, "Build container when after pulling")
 	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&SetDefault, "setdefault", false, "Set this container for the default profile")
-	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&SyncUser, "syncuser", false, "Don't synchronize uis/gods from host to container")
+	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&NoSyncUser, "nosyncuser", false, "Don't synchronize uis/gods from host to container")
 }
 
 // GetRootCommand returns the root cobra.Command for the application.