diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__directory/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__directory/gencode-remote
index 2c2c56fd..d9c00b56 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__directory/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__directory/gencode-remote
@@ -99,7 +99,9 @@ case "$state_should" in
 
             # format mode in four digits => same as stat returns
             if [ "$attribute" = mode ]; then
-                value_should=$(printf '%04u' "${value_should}")
+                # Convert to four-digit octal number (printf interprets
+                # strings with leading 0s as octal!)
+                value_should=$(printf '%04o' "0${value_should}")
             fi
 
             if [ "$set_attributes" = 1 ] || [ "$value_should" != "$value_is" ]; then
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__file/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__file/gencode-remote
index a69154df..35356b13 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__file/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__file/gencode-remote
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ case "$state_should" in
 
                 # format mode in four digits => same as stat returns
                 if [ "$attribute" = mode ]; then
-                    value_should=$(printf '%04u' "${value_should}")
+                    # Convert to four-digit octal number (printf interprets
+                    # strings with leading 0s as octal!)
+                    value_should=$(printf '%04o' "0${value_should}")
                 fi
 
                 value_is="$(get_current_value "$attribute" "$value_should")"