diff --git a/src/calibre/constants.py b/src/calibre/constants.py
index c557256d25..c7ab85f55e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/constants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/constants.py
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ def trash_name():
 
 @lru_cache(maxsize=2)
 def get_umask():
-    mask = os.umask(0o666)
+    mask = os.umask(0o22)
     os.umask(mask)
     return mask