diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
index da819e5c..cf666d05 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ class CmdCopy(Cmd): # export
                 return url
             return self.app.distro_info(url)
         await copy(__expand(args.src), __expand(args.dst),
-                   owner=args.owner, group=args.group, mode=args.mode)
+                   owner=args.owner, group=args.group, mode=int(args.mode, 0))
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
index be8cbc9c..7d967383 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/FileContext.py
@@ -102,11 +102,12 @@ class FileContext(abc.ABC):
         title: str = None,
         owner: str|None = None,
         group: str|None = None,
-        mode: str|None = None,
+        mode: int|None = None,
         atomic: bool = False
     ) -> Result:
+        mode_str = None if mode is None else oct(mode).replace('0o', '0')
         return await self._put(path, content, wd=wd, throw=throw, verbose=verbose,
-                               title=title, owner=owner, group=group, mode=mode, atomic=atomic)
+                               title=title, owner=owner, group=group, mode=mode_str, atomic=atomic)
 
     async def _close(self) -> None:
         pass
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
index 7798988b..329ff593 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ async def run_sudo(cmd: list[str], *args, interactive: bool=True, ec: ExecContex
         ec = Local(interactive=interactive)
     return await ec.sudo(cmd, *args, **kwargs)
 
-async def copy(src_uri: str, dst_uri: str, owner: str|None=None, group: str|None=None, mode: str|None=None, throw=True) -> Exception|str:
+async def copy(src_uri: str, dst_uri: str, owner: str|None=None, group: str|None=None, mode: int|None=None, throw=True) -> Exception|str:
     from .ExecContext import ExecContext
     src: ExecContext|None = None
     dst: ExecContext|None = None