diff -r eee959fee5f5 Lib/tarfile.py
--- a/Lib/tarfile.py	Sat May 07 21:13:50 2016 +0300
+++ b/Lib/tarfile.py	Sat May 14 12:55:31 2016 +0200
@@ -50,9 +50,13 @@
 import re
 
 try:
-    import grp, pwd
+    import pwd
 except ImportError:
-    grp = pwd = None
+    pwd = None
+try:
+    import grp
+except ImportError:
+    grp = None
 
 # os.symlink on Windows prior to 6.0 raises NotImplementedError
 symlink_exception = (AttributeError, NotImplementedError)
@@ -2216,19 +2220,25 @@
         """Set owner of targetpath according to tarinfo. If numeric_owner
            is True, use .gid/.uid instead of .gname/.uname.
         """
-        if pwd and hasattr(os, "geteuid") and os.geteuid() == 0:
+        if hasattr(os, "geteuid") and os.geteuid() == 0:
             # We have to be root to do so.
             if numeric_owner:
                 g = tarinfo.gid
                 u = tarinfo.uid
             else:
-                try:
-                    g = grp.getgrnam(tarinfo.gname)[2]
-                except KeyError:
+                if grp:
+                    try:
+                        g = grp.getgrnam(tarinfo.gname)[2]
+                    except KeyError:
+                        g = tarinfo.gid
+                else:
                     g = tarinfo.gid
-                try:
-                    u = pwd.getpwnam(tarinfo.uname)[2]
-                except KeyError:
+                if pwd:
+                    try:
+                        u = pwd.getpwnam(tarinfo.uname)[2]
+                    except KeyError:
+                        u = tarinfo.uid
+                else:
                     u = tarinfo.uid
             try:
                 if tarinfo.issym() and hasattr(os, "lchown"):