diff --git a/docs/config-format.md b/docs/config-format.md
index ffb93a5..77ae943 100644
--- a/docs/config-format.md
+++ b/docs/config-format.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Entry    | Description | Default
 -------- | ------------- | ------------
 `backup` | Create a backup of the dotfile in case it differs from the one that will be installed by dotdrop  | true
 `banner` | Display the banner  | true
+`chmod_on_import` | Always add a chmod entry on newly imported dotfiles (see `--preserve-mode`) | false
 `cmpignore` | List of patterns to ignore when comparing, applied to all dotfiles (enclose in quotes when using wildcards; see [ignore patterns](config.md#ignore-patterns)) | -
 `create` | Create a directory hierarchy when installing dotfiles if it doesn't exist | true
 `default_actions` | List of action keys to execute for all installed dotfiles (See [actions](config-details.md#actions-entry)) | -
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index eea13c9..14fd656 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ dotfiles:
 
 On `import`, the following rules are applied:
 
-* If the `-m`/`--preserve-mode` switch is provided, the imported file's permissions are
+* If the `-m`/`--preserve-mode` switch is provided or the config option
+  `chmod_on_import` is true, the imported file's permissions are
   stored in a `chmod` entry
 * If the imported file's permissions differ from the umask, then the permissions are automatically
   stored in the `chmod` entry.
diff --git a/dotdrop/options.py b/dotdrop/options.py
index 276f0e9..6ad7892 100644
--- a/dotdrop/options.py
+++ b/dotdrop/options.py
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ class Options(AttrMonitor):
         self.impignore = None
         self.upignore = None
         self.link_on_import = None
+        self.chmod_on_import = None
 
         # args parsing
         self.args = {}
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@ class Options(AttrMonitor):
         """import specifics"""
         self.import_path = self.args['<path>']
         self.import_as = self.args['--as']
-        self.import_mode = self.args['--preserve-mode']
+        self.import_mode = self.args['--preserve-mode'] or self.chmod_on_import
         self.import_ignore = self.args['--ignore']
         self.import_ignore.extend(self.impignore)
         self.import_ignore.append('*{}'.format(self.install_backup_suffix))
diff --git a/dotdrop/settings.py b/dotdrop/settings.py
index 7827b9b..2eafe3f 100644
--- a/dotdrop/settings.py
+++ b/dotdrop/settings.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
     key_force_chmod = 'force_chmod'
     key_template_dotfile_default = 'template_dotfile_default'
     key_ignore_missing_in_dotdrop = 'ignore_missing_in_dotdrop'
+    key_chmod_on_import = 'chmod_on_import'
 
     # import keys
     key_import_actions = 'import_actions'
@@ -63,7 +64,8 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
                  diff_command='diff -r -u {0} {1}',
                  template_dotfile_default=True,
                  ignore_missing_in_dotdrop=False,
-                 force_chmod=False):
+                 force_chmod=False,
+                 chmod_on_import=False):
         self.backup = backup
         self.banner = banner
         self.create = create
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
         self.template_dotfile_default = template_dotfile_default
         self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop = ignore_missing_in_dotdrop
         self.force_chmod = force_chmod
+        self.chmod_on_import = chmod_on_import
 
     def _serialize_seq(self, name, dic):
         """serialize attribute 'name' into 'dic'"""
@@ -116,7 +119,8 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
             self.key_diff_command: self.diff_command,
             self.key_template_dotfile_default: self.template_dotfile_default,
             self.key_ignore_missing_in_dotdrop: self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop,
-            self.key_force_chmod: self.force_chmod
+            self.key_force_chmod: self.force_chmod,
+            self.key_chmod_on_import: self.chmod_on_import,
         }
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_default_actions, dic)
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_import_actions, dic)
diff --git a/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh b/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
index 6d1a5da..cb810eb 100755
--- a/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/chmod-import.sh
@@ -212,6 +212,37 @@ cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} detail -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
 cnt=`cat ${cfg} | grep chmod | wc -l`
 [ "${cnt}" != "0" ] && echo "chmod inserted but not needed" && exit 1
 
+## with config option chmod_on_import
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+  chmod_on_import: true
+dotfiles:
+profiles:
+_EOF
+
+# clean
+rm -rf ${tmps}/dotfiles
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+
+# import
+for i in ${toimport}; do
+  chmod_to_umask ${i}
+  cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} -f -p p1 -V ${i}
+done
+
+cat ${cfg}
+
+# list files
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} detail -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
+
+cat ${cfg}
+tot=`echo ${toimport} | wc -w`
+cnt=`cat ${cfg} | grep "chmod: " | wc -l`
+[ "${cnt}" != "${tot}" ] && echo "not all chmod inserted (3)" && exit 1
+
 ## CLEANING
 rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}