diff --git a/package/base-files/Makefile b/package/base-files/Makefile
index c669ff0ac6..54c157611f 100644
--- a/package/base-files/Makefile
+++ b/package/base-files/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/kernel.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/version.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=base-files
-PKG_RELEASE:=173
+PKG_RELEASE:=174
 PKG_FLAGS:=nonshared
 
 PKG_FILE_DEPENDS:=$(PLATFORM_DIR)/ $(GENERIC_PLATFORM_DIR)/base-files/
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
index 2b6415a200..81ef84b8ef 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ group_add_next() {
 	gid=$(grep -s "^${1}:" ${IPKG_INSTROOT}/etc/group | cut -d: -f3)
 	[ -n "$gid" ] && return $gid
 	gids=$(cat ${IPKG_INSTROOT}/etc/group | cut -d: -f3)
-	gid=100
-	while [ -n "$(echo $gids | grep $gid)" ] ; do
+	gid=65536
+	while [ -n "$(echo "$gids" | grep "^$gid$")" ] ; do
 	        gid=$((gid + 1))
 	done
 	group_add $1 $gid
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ user_add() {
 	local rc
 	[ -z "$uid" ] && {
 		uids=$(cat ${IPKG_INSTROOT}/etc/passwd | cut -d: -f3)
-		uid=100
-		while [ -n "$(echo $uids | grep $uid)" ] ; do
+		uid=65536
+		while [ -n "$(echo "$uids" | grep "^$uid$")" ] ; do
 		        uid=$((uid + 1))
 		done
 	}