diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 55b1d45786..546bcd34bf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ RSYNC_VCS_EXCLUSIONS = \
 $(BUILD_DIR)/.root:
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR)
 	rsync -a --ignore-times $(RSYNC_VCS_EXCLUSIONS) \
-		--chmod=Du+w --exclude .empty --exclude '*~' \
+		--chmod=u=rwX,go=rX --exclude .empty --exclude '*~' \
 		$(TARGET_SKELETON)/ $(TARGET_DIR)/
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0644 support/misc/target-dir-warning.txt $(TARGET_DIR_WARNING_FILE)
 	@ln -snf lib $(TARGET_DIR)/$(LIB_SYMLINK)
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ endif
 	@$(foreach d, $(call qstrip,$(BR2_ROOTFS_OVERLAY)), \
 		$(call MESSAGE,"Copying overlay $(d)"); \
 		rsync -a --ignore-times $(RSYNC_VCS_EXCLUSIONS) \
-			--chmod=Du+w --exclude .empty --exclude '*~' \
+			--chmod=u=rwX,go=rX --exclude .empty --exclude '*~' \
 			$(d)/ $(TARGET_DIR)$(sep))
 
 	@$(foreach s, $(call qstrip,$(BR2_ROOTFS_POST_BUILD_SCRIPT)), \