/etc/selinux/config has selinux as disabled and maybe that is why the error, but I would not expect that to be the cause... anyway: # semanage port -a -t ssh_port_t -p tcp 614 SELinux: Could not downgrade policy file /etc/selinux/targeted/policy/policy.2. SELinux: Could not open policy file <= /etc/selinux/targeted/policy/policy.29:y /sbin/load_policy: Can't load policy: No such file or directory libsemanage.semanage_reload_policy: load_policy returned error code 2. SELinux: Could not downgrade policy file /etc/selinux/targeted/policy/policy.2. SELinux: Could not open policy file <= /etc/selinux/targeted/policy/policy.29:y /sbin/load_policy: Can't load policy: No such file or directory libsemanage.semanage_reload_policy: load_policy returned error code 2. ValueError: Could not commit semanage transaction