diff --git a/src/uu/mknod/src/parsemode.rs b/src/uu/mknod/src/parsemode.rs
index e995d93b9..f1c4df15c 100644
--- a/src/uu/mknod/src/parsemode.rs
+++ b/src/uu/mknod/src/parsemode.rs
@@ -20,18 +20,37 @@ pub fn parse_mode(mode: Option<String>) -> Result<mode_t, String> {
     }
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn symbolic_modes() {
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("u+x".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o766);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("+x".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o777);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("a-w".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o444);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("g-r".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o626);
-}
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    /// Test if the program is running under WSL
+    // ref: <https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/4555> @@ <https://archive.is/dP0bz>
+    // ToDO: test on WSL2 which likely doesn't need special handling; plan change to `is_wsl_1()` if WSL2 is less needy
+    pub fn is_wsl() -> bool {
+        #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+        {
+            if let Ok(b) = std::fs::read("/proc/sys/kernel/osrelease") {
+                if let Ok(s) = std::str::from_utf8(&b) {
+                    let a = s.to_ascii_lowercase();
+                    return a.contains("microsoft") || a.contains("wsl");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        false
+    }
 
-#[test]
-fn numeric_modes() {
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("644".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o644);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("+100".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o766);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(Some("-4".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o662);
-    assert_eq!(parse_mode(None).unwrap(), 0o666);
+    #[test]
+    fn symbolic_modes() {
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("u+x".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o766);
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("+x".to_owned())).unwrap(), if !is_wsl() { 0o777 } else {0o776});
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("a-w".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o444);
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("g-r".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o626);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn numeric_modes() {
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("644".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o644);
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("+100".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o766);
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(Some("-4".to_owned())).unwrap(), 0o662);
+        assert_eq!(super::parse_mode(None).unwrap(), 0o666);
+    }
 }