diff --git a/tests/unit/test_download_from_mass_permissions.py b/tests/unit/test_download_from_mass_permissions.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cdefa6a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_download_from_mass_permissions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import os
+import shutil
+import stat
+
+from bgcval2.download_from_mass import download_from_mass as dfm
+
+
+def test_allowed_user():
+    dfm(jobID="u-xxx",
+        doMoo=False,
+        auto_download=False,
+        config_user="defaults"
+    )
+    user_home = os.path.expanduser('~')
+    output_folder = "bgcval2/local_test/BGC_data/u-xxx/"
+    run_dir = os.path.join(user_home, output_folder)
+    assert os.stat(run_dir).st_mode == 16893
+
+
+def test_disallowed_user():
+    user_home = os.path.expanduser('~')
+    output_folder = "bgcval2/local_test/BGC_data/u-xxx/"
+    run_dir = os.path.join(user_home, output_folder)
+    st = os.stat(run_dir)
+    os.chmod(run_dir, False)
+    dfm(jobID="u-xxx",
+        doMoo=False,
+        auto_download=False,
+        config_user="defaults"
+    )
+    assert os.stat(run_dir).st_mode == 16384
+    shutil.rmtree(run_dir, ignore_errors=True)