diff --git a/mesonbuild/coredata.py b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
index 17b28a802..3484421fe 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/coredata.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/coredata.py
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ builtin_options = {
     'backend':         [UserComboOption, 'Backend to use.', backendlist, 'ninja'],
     'stdsplit':        [UserBooleanOption, 'Split stdout and stderr in test logs.', True],
     'errorlogs':       [UserBooleanOption, "Whether to print the logs from failing tests.", True],
-    'install_umask':   [UserUmaskOption, 'Default umask to apply on permissions of installed files.', None],
+    'install_umask':   [UserUmaskOption, 'Default umask to apply on permissions of installed files.', '022'],
 }
 
 # Special prefix-dependent defaults for installation directories that reside in
diff --git a/test cases/common/12 data/meson.build b/test cases/common/12 data/meson.build
index d855bbaf4..b5b1e8a62 100644
--- a/test cases/common/12 data/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/12 data/meson.build	
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-project('data install test', 'c')
+project('data install test', 'c',
+  default_options : ['install_umask=preserve'])
 install_data(sources : 'datafile.dat', install_dir : 'share/progname')
 # Some file in /etc that is only read-write by root; add a sticky bit for testing
 install_data(sources : 'etcfile.dat', install_dir : '/etc', install_mode : 'rw------T')
diff --git a/test cases/common/66 install subdir/meson.build b/test cases/common/66 install subdir/meson.build
index 403b6f04d..6f92efdb8 100644
--- a/test cases/common/66 install subdir/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/66 install subdir/meson.build	
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-project('install a whole subdir', 'c')
+project('install a whole subdir', 'c',
+  default_options : ['install_umask=preserve'])
 
 # A subdir with an exclusion:
 install_subdir('sub2',