diff --git a/Lib/test/test_import.py b/Lib/test/test_import.py
index db9c8ef6fc0..8ed6b8f7951 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_import.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_import.py
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 import unittest
 import os
+import stat
 import random
 import shutil
 import sys
 import py_compile
 import warnings
 import marshal
-from test.test_support import unlink, TESTFN, unload, run_unittest, check_warnings
+from test.test_support import (unlink, TESTFN, unload, run_unittest,
+    check_warnings, TestFailed)
 
 
 def remove_files(name):
@@ -91,6 +93,32 @@ class ImportTest(unittest.TestCase):
         finally:
             del sys.path[0]
 
+    if os.name == 'posix':
+        def test_execute_bit_not_copied(self):
+            # Issue 6070: under posix .pyc files got their execute bit set if
+            # the .py file had the execute bit set, but they aren't executable.
+            oldmask = os.umask(022)
+            sys.path.insert(0, os.curdir)
+            try:
+                fname = TESTFN + os.extsep + "py"
+                f = open(fname, 'w').close()
+                os.chmod(fname, (stat.S_IRUSR | stat.S_IRGRP | stat.S_IROTH |
+                                 stat.S_IXUSR | stat.S_IXGRP | stat.S_IXOTH))
+                __import__(TESTFN)
+                fn = fname + 'c'
+                if not os.path.exists(fn):
+                    fn = fname + 'o'
+                    if not os.path.exists(fn): raise TestFailed("__import__ did "
+                        "not result in creation of either a .pyc or .pyo file")
+                s = os.stat(fn)
+                self.assertEquals(stat.S_IMODE(s.st_mode),
+                                  stat.S_IRUSR | stat.S_IRGRP | stat.S_IROTH)
+            finally:
+                os.umask(oldmask)
+                remove_files(TESTFN)
+                if TESTFN in sys.modules: del sys.modules[TESTFN]
+                del sys.path[0]
+
     def testImpModule(self):
         # Verify that the imp module can correctly load and find .py files
         import imp
@@ -232,6 +260,7 @@ class ImportTest(unittest.TestCase):
         else:
             self.fail("import by path didn't raise an exception")
 
+
 class TestPycRewriting(unittest.TestCase):
     # Test that the `co_filename` attribute on code objects always points
     # to the right file, even when various things happen (e.g. both the .py
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 8e6cbb82bcc..078c30d382d 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ What's New in Python 2.6.3
 Core and Builtins
 -----------------
 
+- Issue #6070: On posix platforms import no longer copies the execute bit
+  from the .py file to the .pyc file if it is set.
+
 - Issue #4547: When debugging a very large function, it was not always
   possible to update the lineno attribute of the current frame.
 
diff --git a/Python/import.c b/Python/import.c
index 5270b3771cf..4846e1091a8 100644
--- a/Python/import.c
+++ b/Python/import.c
@@ -879,7 +879,11 @@ write_compiled_module(PyCodeObject *co, char *cpathname, struct stat *srcstat)
 {
 	FILE *fp;
 	time_t mtime = srcstat->st_mtime;
-	mode_t mode = srcstat->st_mode;
+#ifdef MS_WINDOWS   /* since Windows uses different permissions  */
+	mode_t mode = srcstat->st_mode & ~S_IEXEC;
+#else
+	mode_t mode = srcstat->st_mode & ~S_IXUSR & ~S_IXGRP & ~S_IXOTH;
+#endif 
 
 	fp = open_exclusive(cpathname, mode);
 	if (fp == NULL) {