diff --git a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
index 759c12fe4d48..399b15cbdef4 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
@@ -3491,12 +3491,14 @@ zfs_ioc_snapshot(const char *poolname, nvlist_t *innvl, nvlist_t *outnvl)
 		/*
 		 * Check for permission to set the properties on the fs.
 		 */
-		*cp = '\0';
-		error = zfs_secpolicy_write_perms(name, ZFS_DELEG_PERM_USERPROP,
-		    CRED());
-		*cp = '@';
-		if (error != 0)
-			return (error);
+		if (!nvlist_empty(props)) {
+			*cp = '\0';
+			error = zfs_secpolicy_write_perms(name,
+			    ZFS_DELEG_PERM_USERPROP, CRED());
+			*cp = '@';
+			if (error != 0)
+				return (error);
+		}
 
 		/* This must be the only snap of this fs. */
 		for (nvpair_t *pair2 = nvlist_next_nvpair(snaps, pair);