diff --git a/contrib/fix-mode.py b/contrib/fix-mode.py
index 533002a..ed0e024 100755
--- a/contrib/fix-mode.py
+++ b/contrib/fix-mode.py
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 import errno
 
 XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT_PRIVILEGED = "security.fuseoverlayfs.override_stat"
-XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT = "user.fuseoverlayfs.override_stat"
+XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT = "user.fuseoverlayfs.override_stat"
 
 if os.geteuid() == 0:
     xattr_name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT_PRIVILEGED
 else:
-    xattr_name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT
+    xattr_name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT
 
 cwd_fd = os.open(".", os.O_PATH)
 
diff --git a/direct.c b/direct.c
index a1a5d7d..272631f 100644
--- a/direct.c
+++ b/direct.c
@@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ direct_load_data_source (struct ovl_layer *l, const char *opaque, const char *pa
 
   if (fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_PRIVILEGED_OVERRIDE_STAT, tmp, sizeof (tmp)) >= 0)
     l->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_PRIVILEGED;
-  else if (fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT, tmp, sizeof (tmp)) >= 0)
-    l->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_USER;
   else if (fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT, tmp, sizeof (tmp)) >= 0)
     l->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS;
+  else if (fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT, tmp, sizeof (tmp)) >= 0)
+    l->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_USER;
 
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 5bd1993..85abb01 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -539,17 +539,21 @@ write_permission_xattr (struct ovl_data *lo, int fd, const char *path, uid_t uid
   int ret;
   const char *name = NULL;
 
-  switch (lo->xattr_permissions)
+  switch (get_upper_layer (lo)->stat_override_mode)
     {
-    case 0:
+    case STAT_OVERRIDE_NONE:
       return 0;
 
-    case 1:
+    case STAT_OVERRIDE_USER:
+      name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT;
+      break;
+
+    case STAT_OVERRIDE_PRIVILEGED:
       name = XATTR_PRIVILEGED_OVERRIDE_STAT;
       break;
 
-    case 2:
-      name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT;
+    case STAT_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS:
+      name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT;
       break;
 
     default:
@@ -5792,13 +5796,22 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
             }
           else if (lo.xattr_permissions == 2)
             {
-              get_upper_layer (&lo)->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_USER;
-              name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT;
+              get_upper_layer (&lo)->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS;
+              name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT;
             }
           else
             error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0, "invalid value for xattr_permissions");
 
           s = fgetxattr (get_upper_layer (&lo)->fd, name, data, sizeof (data));
+          if (s < 0 && errno == ENODATA && lo.xattr_permissions == 2)
+            {
+              s = fgetxattr (get_upper_layer (&lo)->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT, data, sizeof (data));
+              if (s >= 0)
+                {
+                  get_upper_layer (&lo)->stat_override_mode = STAT_OVERRIDE_USER;
+                  name = XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT;
+                }
+            }
           if (s < 0)
             {
               bool found = false;
@@ -5809,15 +5822,19 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
               for (l = get_lower_layers (&lo); l; l = l->next)
                 {
-                  s = fgetxattr (l->fd, name, data, sizeof (data));
-                  if (s < 0 && errno != ENODATA)
-                    error (EXIT_FAILURE, errno, "fgetxattr mode from lower layer");
-                  if (s < 0 && lo.xattr_permissions == 2)
+                  switch (lo.xattr_permissions)
                     {
+                    case 1:
+                      s = fgetxattr (l->fd, name, data, sizeof (data));
+                      break;
+
+                    case 2:
                       s = fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_CONTAINERS_STAT, data, sizeof (data));
-                      if (s < 0 && errno != ENODATA)
-                        error (EXIT_FAILURE, errno, "fgetxattr mode from lower layer");
+                      if (s < 0 && errno == ENODATA)
+                        s = fgetxattr (l->fd, XATTR_OVERRIDE_STAT, data, sizeof (data));
+                      break;
                     }
+
                   if (s > 0)
                     {
                       ret = fsetxattr (get_upper_layer (&lo)->fd, name, data, s, 0);