diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
index cd9b7dab..aa578b64 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/posix/CmdCopy.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class CmdCopy(Cmd):  # export
             __expand(args.dst),
             owner = args.owner,
             group = args.group,
-            mode = int(args.mode, 0),
+            # -- A mode is given as a string, if at all
+            mode = int(args.mode, 0) if args.mode is not None else None,
             recursive = args.recursive,
         )