diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 9ae4022..32f957c 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from dotdrop.installer import Installer
 from dotdrop.updater import Updater
 from dotdrop.comparator import Comparator
 from dotdrop.utils import get_tmpdir, removepath, strip_home, \
-    uniq_list, patch_ignores, dependencies_met, get_file_perm
+    uniq_list, patch_ignores, dependencies_met, get_file_perm, \
+    get_default_file_perms
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException, UndefinedException
 
@@ -521,7 +522,8 @@ def cmd_importer(o):
                     shutil.copy2(dst, srcf)
 
         chmod = None
-        if o.import_mode or perm & o.umask:
+        dflperm = get_default_file_perms(dst, o.umask)
+        if o.import_mode or perm != dflperm:
             # insert chmod
             chmod = perm
         retconf = o.conf.new(src, dst, linktype, chmod=chmod)
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index a2fdba0..d8f77b8 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -312,6 +312,14 @@ def get_umask():
     return cur
 
 
+def get_default_file_perms(path, umask):
+    """get default rights for a file"""
+    base = 0o666
+    if os.path.isdir(path):
+        base = 0o777
+    return base - umask
+
+
 def get_file_perm(path):
     """return file permission"""
     return os.stat(path).st_mode & 0o777
diff --git a/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh b/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
index 5845f90..054a0c0 100755
--- a/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,19 @@ echo -e "$(tput setaf 6)==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==$(tput sgr0)"
 # this is the test
 ################################################################
 
+# $1 file
+chmod_to_umask()
+{
+  u=`umask`
+  u=`echo ${u} | sed 's/^0*//'`
+  if [ -d ${1} ]; then
+    v=$((777 - u))
+  else
+    v=$((666 - u))
+  fi
+  chmod ${v} ${1}
+}
+
 # the dotfile source
 tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
 mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
@@ -155,7 +168,7 @@ mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
 
 # import with --preserve-mode
 for i in ${toimport}; do
-  chmod `umask -S` ${i}
+  chmod_to_umask ${i}
   cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} -m -f -p p1 -V ${i}
 done
 
@@ -182,9 +195,9 @@ _EOF
 rm -rf ${tmps}/dotfiles
 mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
 
-# import with --preserve-mode
+# import without --preserve-mode
 for i in ${toimport}; do
-  chmod `umask -S` ${i}
+  chmod_to_umask ${i}
   cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} -f -p p1 -V ${i}
 done