diff --git a/flist.c b/flist.c
--- a/flist.c
+++ b/flist.c
-@@ -1342,6 +1373,7 @@ static struct file_struct *send_file_name(int f, struct file_list *flist,
+@@ -1355,6 +1355,7 @@ static struct file_struct *send_file_name(int f, struct file_list *flist,
#endif
#ifdef SUPPORT_XATTRS
if (preserve_xattrs) {
+ sx.st.st_mode = file->mode;
sx.xattr = NULL;
- if (get_xattr(fname, &sx) < 0)
- return NULL;
+ if (get_xattr(fname, &sx) < 0) {
+ io_error |= IOERR_GENERAL;
diff --git a/xattrs.c b/xattrs.c
--- a/xattrs.c
+++ b/xattrs.c
if (rsync_xal_get(fname, sxp->xattr) < 0) {
free_xattr(sxp);
return -1;
-@@ -856,6 +860,11 @@ int set_xattr(const char *fname, const struct file_struct *file,
+@@ -861,6 +865,11 @@ int set_xattr(const char *fname, const struct file_struct *file,
return -1;
}