--- a/src/epstool.c
+++ b/src/epstool.c
@@ -2824,7 +2824,7 @@
 		code = -1;
 	}
 	if ((code==0) && stdout_name && (hChildStdoutWr == -1)) {
-	    handle = open(stdout_name, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT);
+	    handle = open(stdout_name, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT, 0644);
 	    hChildStdoutWr = dup2(handle, 1);
 	    if (handle != -1)
 		close(handle);
@@ -2832,7 +2832,7 @@
 		code = -1;
 	}
 	if ((code==0) && stderr_name && (hChildStderrWr == -1)) {
-	    handle = open(stderr_name, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT);
+	    handle = open(stderr_name, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT, 0644);
 	    hChildStderrWr = dup2(handle, 2);
 	    if (handle != -1)
 		close(handle);