diff --git a/roles/pdc/backend/tasks/main.yml b/roles/pdc/backend/tasks/main.yml
index bc4ef55b9d..c7aca15ad4 100644
--- a/roles/pdc/backend/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/pdc/backend/tasks/main.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   tags: pdc
 
 - name: setup cron for a daily audit script
-  copy: src=pdc-audit.cron dest=/etc/cron.d/pdc-audit.cron mode=0755
+  copy: src=pdc-audit.cron dest=/etc/cron.d/pdc-audit.cron mode=0644
   tags:
   - pdc
   - cron