diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b16e3d965..cc8c70a19 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ permissions:
 
 ```json
 {
-    "chmod": "0755"
+    "chmod": "0700"
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/box.json.dist b/box.json.dist
index aae5d34d3..461943561 100644
--- a/box.json.dist
+++ b/box.json.dist
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "chmod": "0755",
-
     "banner": [
         "This file is part of the box project.",
         "",
diff --git a/src/Configuration.php b/src/Configuration.php
index 2ea5d031d..f8f13c2c7 100644
--- a/src/Configuration.php
+++ b/src/Configuration.php
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ private static function retrieveFileMode(stdClass $raw): ?int
             return intval($raw->chmod, 8);
         }
 
-        return null;
+        return intval(0755, 8);
     }
 
     private static function retrieveMainScriptPath(stdClass $raw, string $basePath, ?array $decodedJsonContents): ?string
diff --git a/tests/ConfigurationTest.php b/tests/ConfigurationTest.php
index 6337a7365..1f15d12ce 100644
--- a/tests/ConfigurationTest.php
+++ b/tests/ConfigurationTest.php
@@ -530,10 +530,10 @@ public function test_the_compression_algorithm_cannot_be_an_invalid_algorithm($c
         }
     }
 
-    public function test_no_file_mode_is_configured_by_default(): void
+    public function test_a_file_mode_is_configured_by_default(): void
     {
-        $this->assertNull($this->config->getFileMode());
-        $this->assertNull($this->getNoFileConfig()->getFileMode());
+        $this->assertSame(493, $this->config->getFileMode());
+        $this->assertSame(493, $this->getNoFileConfig()->getFileMode());
     }
 
     public function test_configure_file_mode(): void
@@ -541,18 +541,18 @@ public function test_configure_file_mode(): void
         // Octal value provided
         $this->setConfig([
             'files' => [self::DEFAULT_FILE],
-            'chmod' => '0755',
+            'chmod' => '0644',
         ]);
 
-        $this->assertSame(0755, $this->config->getFileMode());
+        $this->assertSame(420, $this->config->getFileMode());
 
         // Decimal value provided
         $this->setConfig([
             'files' => [self::DEFAULT_FILE],
-            'chmod' => '755',
+            'chmod' => '0644',
         ]);
 
-        $this->assertSame(0755, $this->config->getFileMode());
+        $this->assertSame(420, $this->config->getFileMode());
     }
 
     public function test_a_main_script_path_is_configured_by_default(): void
@@ -1593,7 +1593,7 @@ public function test_it_can_be_created_with_only_default_values(): void
             new MapFile($this->tmp, []),
             $this->config->getFileMapper()
         );
-        $this->assertNull($this->config->getFileMode());
+        $this->assertSame(493, $this->config->getFileMode());
         $this->assertSame([], $this->config->getFiles());
         $this->assertSame('', $this->config->getMainScriptContents());
         $this->assertSame($this->tmp.'/index.php', $this->config->getMainScriptPath());
diff --git a/tests/Console/Command/CompileTest.php b/tests/Console/Command/CompileTest.php
index c85d9f30e..4cc6c698e 100644
--- a/tests/Console/Command/CompileTest.php
+++ b/tests/Console/Command/CompileTest.php
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_file(): void
                 [
                     'alias' => 'alias-test.phar',
                     'banner' => 'custom banner',
-                    'chmod' => '0755',
+                    'chmod' => '0700',
                     'compactors' => [Php::class],
                     'directories' => ['a'],
                     'files' => ['test.php'],
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_file(): void
 ? No compression
 ? Signing using a private key
 Private key passphrase:
-? Setting file permissions to 0755
+? Setting file permissions to 0700
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 45 files (100B)
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_without_any_configuration(): void
 ? Dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 49 files (100B)
@@ -1726,6 +1727,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_overwriting_an_existing_one_in_verbose_
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -1977,6 +1979,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_with_a_custom_banner(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2036,6 +2039,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_with_a_stub_file(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2100,6 +2104,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_with_the_default_stub_file(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 2 files (100B)
@@ -2164,6 +2169,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_without_a_main_script(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2233,6 +2239,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_an_empty_PHAR(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2306,6 +2313,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_with_compressed_code(): void
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? Compressing with the algorithm "GZ"
     > Warning: the extension "zlib" will now be required to execute the PHAR
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2375,6 +2383,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_in_a_non_existent_directory(): void
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2522,6 +2531,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_file_without_a_shebang_line(): void
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? Compressing with the algorithm "GZ"
     > Warning: the extension "zlib" will now be required to execute the PHAR
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)
@@ -2599,6 +2609,7 @@ public function test_it_can_build_a_PHAR_with_an_output_which_does_not_have_a_PH
 ? Skipping dumping the Composer autoloader
 ? Removing the Composer dump artefacts
 ? No compression
+? Setting file permissions to 0755
 * Done.
 
  // PHAR: 1 file (100B)