diff --git a/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs b/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
index 31663b1af..3c387b5f8 100644
--- a/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
+++ b/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
     let recursive = matches.get_flag(options::RECURSIVE);
     let fmode = match matches.get_one::<String>(options::REFERENCE) {
         Some(fref) => match fs::metadata(fref) {
-            Ok(meta) => Some(meta.mode()),
+            Ok(meta) => Some(meta.mode() & 0o7777),
             Err(err) => {
                 return Err(USimpleError::new(
                     1,
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs b/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
index be730a8c0..35197f85e 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
@@ -645,6 +645,20 @@ fn test_quiet_n_verbose_used_multiple_times() {
         .succeeds();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_changes_from_identical_reference() {
+    let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &scene.fixtures;
+    at.touch("file");
+    scene
+        .ucmd()
+        .arg("-c")
+        .arg("--reference=file")
+        .arg("file")
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stdout();
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_gnu_invalid_mode() {
     let scene = TestScenario::new(util_name!());