diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0d14b22..46af44a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,25 +24,21 @@ ifndef IMAGE
 	$(error IMAGE is not set. Please specify IMAGE=<image> when running make build or make build-dev)
 endif
 
-.PHONY: all build build-dev setup measure clean check-perms check-module
+.PHONY: all build build-dev setup measure clean check-module
 
 # Default target
 all: build
 
-# Ensure repo was cloned with correct permissions
-check-perms: ## Check repository permissions
-	@scripts/check_perms.sh
-
 # Setup dependencies (Linux only)
 setup: ## Install dependencies (Linux only)
 	@scripts/setup_deps.sh
 
 # Build module
-build: check-perms setup ## Build the specified module
+build: setup ## Build the specified module
 	$(WRAPPER) mkosi --force --image-id $(IMAGE) -I $(IMAGE).conf
 
 # Build module with devtools profile
-build-dev: check-perms setup ## Build module with development tools
+build-dev: setup ## Build module with development tools
 	$(WRAPPER) mkosi --force --image-id $(IMAGE)-dev --profile=devtools -I $(IMAGE).conf
 
 ##@ Utilities
diff --git a/base/mkosi.conf b/base/mkosi.conf
index 9d4c1fe..c39f851 100644
--- a/base/mkosi.conf
+++ b/base/mkosi.conf
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ PostInstallationScripts=base/efi-stub.sh
 SyncScripts=base/add-backports.sh
 FinalizeScripts=base/debloat.sh
 FinalizeScripts=base/remove-image-version.sh
+SyncScripts=base/normalize-umask.sh
 
 CleanPackageMetadata=true
 Packages=kmod
diff --git a/base/normalize-umask.sh b/base/normalize-umask.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b5d13b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/normalize-umask.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
+chmod -cR go-w "$SRCDIR"
diff --git a/scripts/check_perms.sh b/scripts/check_perms.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 2826d1c..0000000
--- a/scripts/check_perms.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-check_perms() {
-    local path="$1"
-    local expected_perms="$2"
-
-    if [ ! -e "$path" ]; then
-        echo "Error: $path not found"
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    # Cross-platform way to get octal permissions
-    perms=$(stat -c "%a" "$path" 2>/dev/null || stat -f "%OLp" "$path" 2>/dev/null)
-
-    if [ "$perms" = "$expected_perms" ]; then
-        return 0
-    else
-        echo "$path has incorrect permissions ($perms), expected $expected_perms"
-        return 1
-    fi
-}
-
-err=0
-
-check_perms "base/mkosi.skeleton/init" "755" || err=1
-check_perms "base/mkosi.skeleton/etc" "755" || err=1
-check_perms "base/mkosi.skeleton/etc/resolv.conf" "644" || err=1
-
-if [ $err -eq 1 ]; then
-    echo "Permission check failed!"
-    echo "Please run umask 0022 and re-clone the repository."
-    exit 1
-fi