diff --git a/src/uu/ls/Cargo.toml b/src/uu/ls/Cargo.toml
index ffb90a940..2ce0cc3fd 100644
--- a/src/uu/ls/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/uu/ls/Cargo.toml
@@ -52,4 +52,4 @@ name = "ls"
 path = "src/main.rs"
 
 [features]
-feat_selinux = ["selinux"]
+feat_selinux = ["selinux", "uucore/selinux"]
diff --git a/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs b/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
index 7ab752a15..572daa61e 100644
--- a/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
+++ b/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
@@ -1900,11 +1900,7 @@ impl PathData {
             None => OnceCell::new(),
         };
 
-        let security_context = if config.context {
-            get_security_context(config, &p_buf, must_dereference)
-        } else {
-            String::new()
-        };
+        let security_context = get_security_context(config, &p_buf, must_dereference);
 
         Self {
             md: OnceCell::new(),
@@ -3339,7 +3335,10 @@ fn get_security_context(config: &Config, p_buf: &Path, must_dereference: bool) -
             Err(err) => {
                 // The Path couldn't be dereferenced, so return early and set exit code 1
                 // to indicate a minor error
-                show!(LsError::IOErrorContext(p_buf.to_path_buf(), err, false));
+                // Only show error when context display is requested to avoid duplicate messages
+                if config.context {
+                    show!(LsError::IOErrorContext(p_buf.to_path_buf(), err, false));
+                }
                 return substitute_string;
             }
             Ok(_md) => (),
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs b/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
index af5fb71b1..af6b2dd18 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_ls.rs
@@ -4263,8 +4263,7 @@ fn test_ls_context_long() {
         let line: Vec<_> = result.stdout_str().split(' ').collect();
         assert!(line[0].ends_with('.'));
         assert!(line[4].starts_with("unconfined_u"));
-        let s: Vec<_> = line[4].split(':').collect();
-        assert!(s.len() == 4);
+        validate_selinux_context(line[4]);
     }
 }
 
@@ -4298,6 +4297,113 @@ fn test_ls_context_format() {
     }
 }
 
+/// Helper function to validate `SELinux` context format
+#[cfg(feature = "feat_selinux")]
+fn validate_selinux_context(context: &str) {
+    assert!(
+        context.contains(':'),
+        "Expected SELinux context format (user:role:type:level), got: {}",
+        context
+    );
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        context.split(':').count(),
+        4,
+        "SELinux context should have 4 components separated by colons, got: {}",
+        context
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(feature = "feat_selinux")]
+fn test_ls_selinux_context_format() {
+    if !uucore::selinux::is_selinux_enabled() {
+        println!("test skipped: Kernel has no support for SElinux context");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    at.touch("file");
+    at.symlink_file("file", "link");
+
+    // Test that ls -lnZ properly shows the context
+    for file in ["file", "link"] {
+        let result = scene.ucmd().args(&["-lnZ", file]).succeeds();
+        let output = result.stdout_str();
+
+        let lines: Vec<&str> = output.lines().collect();
+        assert!(!lines.is_empty(), "Output should contain at least one line");
+
+        let first_line = lines[0];
+        let parts: Vec<&str> = first_line.split_whitespace().collect();
+        assert!(parts.len() >= 6, "Line should have at least 6 fields");
+
+        // The 5th field (0-indexed position 4) should contain the SELinux context
+        // Format: permissions links owner group context size date time name
+        let context = parts[4];
+        validate_selinux_context(context);
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(feature = "feat_selinux")]
+fn test_ls_selinux_context_indicator() {
+    if !uucore::selinux::is_selinux_enabled() {
+        println!("test skipped: Kernel has no support for SElinux context");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+
+    at.touch("file");
+    at.symlink_file("file", "link");
+
+    // Test that ls -l shows "." indicator for files with SELinux contexts
+    for file in ["file", "link"] {
+        let result = scene.ucmd().args(&["-l", file]).succeeds();
+        let output = result.stdout_str();
+
+        // The 11th character should be "." indicating SELinux context
+        // -rw-rw-r--. (permissions + context indicator)
+        let lines: Vec<&str> = output.lines().collect();
+        assert!(!lines.is_empty(), "Output should contain at least one line");
+
+        let first_line = lines[0];
+        let chars: Vec<char> = first_line.chars().collect();
+        assert!(
+            chars.len() >= 11,
+            "Line should be at least 11 characters long"
+        );
+
+        // The 11th character (0-indexed position 10) should be "." for SELinux context
+        assert_eq!(
+            chars[10], '.',
+            "Expected '.' indicator for SELinux context in position 11, got '{}' in line: {}",
+            chars[10], first_line
+        );
+    }
+
+    // Test that ls -lnZ properly shows the context
+    for file in ["file", "link"] {
+        let result = scene.ucmd().args(&["-lnZ", file]).succeeds();
+        let output = result.stdout_str();
+
+        let lines: Vec<&str> = output.lines().collect();
+        assert!(!lines.is_empty(), "Output should contain at least one line");
+
+        let first_line = lines[0];
+        let parts: Vec<&str> = first_line.split_whitespace().collect();
+        assert!(parts.len() >= 6, "Line should have at least 6 fields");
+
+        // The 5th field (0-indexed position 4) should contain the SELinux context
+        // Format: permissions links owner group context size date time name
+        validate_selinux_context(parts[4]);
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 #[allow(non_snake_case)]
 fn test_ls_a_A() {