diff --git a/src/func_getattr_combine.cpp b/src/func_getattr_combine.cpp
index df73c829..b9527318 100644
--- a/src/func_getattr_combine.cpp
+++ b/src/func_getattr_combine.cpp
@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@ Func2::GetAttrCombine::operator()(const Branches &branches_,
           continue;
         }
 
-      if(st_->st_uid == 0)
-        st_->st_uid = tmp_st.st_uid;
-      if(st_->st_gid == 0)
-        st_->st_gid = tmp_st.st_gid;
+      // This upgrades the uid:gid because mergerfs now does most
+      // file interaction as root and relies on `default-permissions`
+      // to manage permissions. If the
+      if(tmp_st.st_uid == 0)
+        st_->st_uid = 0;
+      if(tmp_st.st_gid == 0)
+        st_->st_gid = 0;
       st_->st_atim = TimeSpec::newest(st_->st_atim,tmp_st.st_atim);
       st_->st_ctim = TimeSpec::newest(st_->st_ctim,tmp_st.st_ctim);
       st_->st_mtim = TimeSpec::newest(st_->st_mtim,tmp_st.st_mtim);