diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.c b/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.c
index e9a6557ab16f..5074681ffdc9 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/openat2/helpers.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ int sys_renameat2(int olddirfd, const char *oldpath,
 
 int touchat(int dfd, const char *path)
 {
-	int fd = openat(dfd, path, O_CREAT);
+	int fd = openat(dfd, path, O_CREAT, 0700);
 	if (fd >= 0)
 		close(fd);
 	return fd;