diff --git a/src/wdm/debian/Packager.php b/src/wdm/debian/Packager.php
index 84612fd..8d3f89b 100644
--- a/src/wdm/debian/Packager.php
+++ b/src/wdm/debian/Packager.php
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ class Packager
         }
         if (is_link($source)) {
             symlink(readlink($source), $dest);
+            return; // don't set perms on symlink targets
         } else {
             if(!copy($source, $dest)) {
                 echo "Error: failed to copy: $source -> $dest \m";