diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py b/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
index c7bd4a9d9b1..f61ad37d03c 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
@@ -114,9 +114,12 @@ class build_scripts (Command):
                 if self.dry_run:
                     log.info("changing mode of %s", file)
                 else:
-                    mode = ((os.stat(file)[ST_MODE]) | 0555) & 07777
-                    log.info("changing mode of %s to %o", file, mode)
-                    os.chmod(file, mode)
+                    oldmode = os.stat(file)[ST_MODE] & 07777
+                    newmode = (oldmode | 0555) & 07777
+                    if newmode != oldmode:
+                        log.info("changing mode of %s from %o to %o",
+                                 file, oldmode, newmode)
+                        os.chmod(file, newmode)
 
     # copy_scripts ()