diff --git a/build/debian-base/Makefile b/build/debian-base/Makefile
index cdeac1dc64..bae4fd25f1 100755
--- a/build/debian-base/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-base/Makefile
@@ -57,9 +57,11 @@ ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 	sed "/CROSS_BUILD_/d" $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build > $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build.tmp
 else
 	# When cross-building, only the placeholder "CROSS_BUILD_" should be removed
-	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for ARM binaries in the kernel
+	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
 	docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static:register --reset
 	curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/$(QEMUVERSION)/x86_64_qemu-$(QEMUARCH)-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C $(TEMP_DIR)
+	# Ensure we don't get surprised by umask settings
+	chmod 0755 qemu-$(QEMUARCH)-static
 	sed "s/CROSS_BUILD_//g" $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build > $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build.tmp
 endif
 	mv $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build.tmp $(TEMP_DIR)/Dockerfile.build
diff --git a/test/images/image-util.sh b/test/images/image-util.sh
index fdd0f0105b..0c645c42e0 100755
--- a/test/images/image-util.sh
+++ b/test/images/image-util.sh
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ build() {
         # Register qemu-*-static for all supported processors except the current one
         docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static:register --reset
         curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/${QEMUVERSION}/x86_64_qemu-${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C ${temp_dir}
+        # Ensure we don't get surprised by umask settings
+        chmod 0755 "${temp_dir}/qemu-${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}-static"
         ${SED} -i "s/CROSS_BUILD_//g" Dockerfile
       fi
     fi