diff --git a/test/test_unit_copy_perms.py b/test/test_unit_copy_perms.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c79768
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_unit_copy_perms.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""Unit tests: copy_perms"""
+import os
+import pytest
+
+OCTAL = '7654'
+NON_OCTAL = '9876'
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'stat_broken', [True, False], ids=['normal', 'stat broken'])
+def test_copy_perms(runner, yadm, tmpdir, stat_broken):
+    """Test function copy_perms"""
+    src_mode = 0o754
+    dst_mode = 0o644
+    source = tmpdir.join('source')
+    source.write('test', ensure=True)
+    source.chmod(src_mode)
+
+    dest = tmpdir.join('dest')
+    dest.write('test', ensure=True)
+    dest.chmod(dst_mode)
+
+    override_stat = ''
+    if stat_broken:
+        override_stat = 'function stat() { echo broken; }'
+    script = f"""
+        YADM_TEST=1 source {yadm}
+        {override_stat}
+        copy_perms "{source}" "{dest}"
+    """
+    run = runner(command=['bash'], inp=script)
+    assert run.success
+    assert run.err == ''
+    assert run.out == ''
+    expected = dst_mode if stat_broken else src_mode
+    assert oct(os.stat(dest).st_mode)[-3:] == oct(expected)[-3:]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'stat_output', [OCTAL, NON_OCTAL], ids=['octal', 'non-octal'])
+def test_get_mode(runner, yadm, stat_output):
+    """Test function get_mode"""
+    script = f"""
+        YADM_TEST=1 source {yadm}
+        function stat() {{ echo {stat_output}; }}
+        mode=$(get_mode abc)
+        echo "MODE:$mode"
+    """
+    run = runner(command=['bash'], inp=script)
+    assert run.success
+    assert run.err == ''
+    expected = OCTAL if stat_output == OCTAL else ""
+    assert f'MODE:{expected}\n' in run.out
diff --git a/test/test_unit_template_default.py b/test/test_unit_template_default.py
index 42464b8..cbc42d5 100644
--- a/test/test_unit_template_default.py
+++ b/test/test_unit_template_default.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 """Unit tests: template_default"""
+import os
+
+FILE_MODE = 0o754
 
 # these values are also testing the handling of bizarre characters
 LOCAL_CLASS = "default_Test+@-!^Class"
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ def test_template_default(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write(TEMPLATE, ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -107,6 +111,7 @@ def test_template_default(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read() == EXPECTED
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
 
 
 def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
@@ -114,6 +119,7 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write('{{yadm.source}}', ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -125,3 +131,4 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read().strip() == str(input_file)
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
diff --git a/test/test_unit_template_esh.py b/test/test_unit_template_esh.py
index c290b5f..e975152 100644
--- a/test/test_unit_template_esh.py
+++ b/test/test_unit_template_esh.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 """Unit tests: template_esh"""
+import os
+
+FILE_MODE = 0o754
 
 LOCAL_CLASS = "esh_Test+@-!^Class"
 LOCAL_SYSTEM = "esh_Test+@-!^System"
@@ -80,6 +83,7 @@ def test_template_esh(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write(TEMPLATE, ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -95,6 +99,7 @@ def test_template_esh(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read().strip() == str(EXPECTED).strip()
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
 
 
 def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
@@ -102,6 +107,7 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write('<%= $YADM_SOURCE %>', ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -112,3 +118,4 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read().strip() == str(input_file)
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
diff --git a/test/test_unit_template_j2.py b/test/test_unit_template_j2.py
index 85c6822..f81f4c6 100644
--- a/test/test_unit_template_j2.py
+++ b/test/test_unit_template_j2.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """Unit tests: template_j2cli & template_envtpl"""
+import os
 import pytest
 
+FILE_MODE = 0o754
+
 LOCAL_CLASS = "j2_Test+@-!^Class"
 LOCAL_SYSTEM = "j2_Test+@-!^System"
 LOCAL_HOST = "j2_Test+@-!^Host"
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ def test_template_j2(runner, yadm, tmpdir, processor):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write(TEMPLATE, ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -97,6 +101,7 @@ def test_template_j2(runner, yadm, tmpdir, processor):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read() == EXPECTED
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('processor', ('j2cli', 'envtpl'))
@@ -105,6 +110,7 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir, processor):
 
     input_file = tmpdir.join('input')
     input_file.write('{{YADM_SOURCE}}', ensure=True)
+    input_file.chmod(FILE_MODE)
     output_file = tmpdir.join('output')
 
     script = f"""
@@ -115,3 +121,4 @@ def test_source(runner, yadm, tmpdir, processor):
     assert run.success
     assert run.err == ''
     assert output_file.read().strip() == str(input_file)
+    assert os.stat(output_file).st_mode == os.stat(input_file).st_mode
diff --git a/yadm b/yadm
index 4b43e4f..9105fa4 100755
--- a/yadm
+++ b/yadm
@@ -394,7 +394,11 @@ EOF
     -v source="$input" \
     "$awk_pgm" \
     "$input" > "$temp_file"
-  [ -f "$temp_file" ] && mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+
+  if [ -f "$temp_file" ] ; then
+    copy_perms "$input" "$temp_file"
+    mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+  fi
 }
 
 function template_j2cli() {
@@ -409,7 +413,11 @@ function template_j2cli() {
   YADM_DISTRO="$local_distro" \
   YADM_SOURCE="$input"        \
   "$J2CLI_PROGRAM" "$input" -o "$temp_file"
-  [ -f "$temp_file" ] && mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+
+  if [ -f "$temp_file" ] ; then
+    copy_perms "$input" "$temp_file"
+    mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+  fi
 }
 
 function template_envtpl() {
@@ -424,7 +432,11 @@ function template_envtpl() {
   YADM_DISTRO="$local_distro" \
   YADM_SOURCE="$input"        \
   "$ENVTPL_PROGRAM" --keep-template "$input" -o "$temp_file"
-  [ -f "$temp_file" ] && mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+
+  if [ -f "$temp_file" ] ; then
+    copy_perms "$input" "$temp_file"
+    mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+  fi
 }
 
 function template_esh() {
@@ -440,7 +452,10 @@ function template_esh() {
   YADM_DISTRO="$local_distro" \
   YADM_SOURCE="$input"
 
-  [ -f "$temp_file" ] && mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+  if [ -f "$temp_file" ] ; then
+    copy_perms "$input" "$temp_file"
+    mv -f "$temp_file" "$output"
+  fi
 }
 
 # ****** yadm Commands ******
@@ -1908,6 +1923,33 @@ function join_string {
     printf "%s" "${*:2}"
 }
 
+function get_mode {
+  local filename="$1"
+  local mode
+
+  # most *nixes
+  mode=$(stat -c '%a' "$filename" 2>/dev/null)
+  if [ -z "$mode" ] ; then
+    # BSD-style
+    mode=$(stat -f '%A' "$filename" 2>/dev/null)
+  fi
+
+  # only accept results if they are octal
+  if [[ ! $mode =~ ^[0-7]+$ ]] ; then
+    mode=""
+  fi
+
+  echo "$mode"
+}
+
+function copy_perms {
+  local source="$1"
+  local dest="$2"
+  mode=$(get_mode "$source")
+  [ -n "$mode" ] && chmod "$mode" "$dest"
+  return 0
+}
+
 # ****** Prerequisites Functions ******
 
 function require_archive() {