diff --git a/src/gl-auth-command b/src/gl-auth-command
index 12b3234..463439e 100755
--- a/src/gl-auth-command
+++ b/src/gl-auth-command
@@ -23,9 +23,8 @@ use warnings;
 #       common definitions
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-
 # these are set by the "rc" file
-our ($GL_LOGT, $GL_CONF_COMPILED, $REPO_BASE, $GIT_PATH, $GL_ADMINDIR);
+our ($GL_LOGT, $GL_CONF_COMPILED, $REPO_BASE, $GIT_PATH, $REPO_UMASK, $GL_ADMINDIR);
 # and these are set by gitolite.pm
 our ($R_COMMANDS, $W_COMMANDS, $REPONAME_PATT);
 our %repos;
@@ -47,6 +46,9 @@ $ENV{GL_BINDIR} = $bindir;
 # add a custom path for git binaries, if specified
 $ENV{PATH} .= ":$GIT_PATH" if $GIT_PATH;
 
+# set the umask before creating any files
+umask($REPO_UMASK);
+
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #       start...
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------