diff -upk.orig patch-2.5.9.orig/patch.man patch-2.5.9/patch.man
--- patch-2.5.9.orig/patch.man	2002-05-25 10:36:44 +0000
+++ patch-2.5.9/patch.man	2005-10-25 23:08:09 +0000
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ Make backup files.
 That is, when patching a file,
 rename or copy the original instead of removing it.
 When backing up a file that does not exist,
-an empty, unreadable backup file is created
+an empty, readonly backup file is created
 as a placeholder to represent the nonexistent file.
 See the
 .B \-V
diff -upk.orig patch-2.5.9.orig/util.c patch-2.5.9/util.c
--- patch-2.5.9.orig/util.c	2003-05-20 14:04:53 +0000
+++ patch-2.5.9/util.c	2005-10-25 23:08:09 +0000
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ move_file (char const *from, int volatil
 
 	  try_makedirs_errno = ENOENT;
 	  unlink (bakname);
-	  while ((fd = creat (bakname, 0)) < 0)
+	  while ((fd = creat (bakname, 0400)) < 0)
 	    {
 	      if (errno != try_makedirs_errno)
 		pfatal ("Can't create file %s", quotearg (bakname));