diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/FileAttributes.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/FileAttributes.java
index 8b0c9f1b..d527a5bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/FileAttributes.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/FileAttributes.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import java.util.Set;
 
 public final class FileAttributes {
 
+    public static final FileAttributes EMPTY = new FileAttributes();
+
     public static enum Flag {
 
         SIZE(0x00000001),
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ public final class FileAttributes {
     private final long mtime;
     private final Map<String, String> ext = new HashMap<String, String>();
 
-    public FileAttributes() {
+    private FileAttributes() {
         size = atime = mtime = uid = gid = mask = 0;
         mode = new FileMode(0);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPClient.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPClient.java
index b6c1ccfa..7020e6af 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPClient.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public class SFTPClient {
 
     public RemoteFile open(String filename, Set<OpenMode> mode)
             throws IOException {
-        return open(filename, mode, new FileAttributes());
+        return open(filename, mode, FileAttributes.EMPTY);
     }
 
     public RemoteFile open(String filename)
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPEngine.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPEngine.java
index 73fe8130..59fa3f42 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPEngine.java
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ public class SFTPEngine
 
     public RemoteFile open(String filename, Set<OpenMode> modes)
             throws IOException {
-        return open(filename, modes, new FileAttributes());
+        return open(filename, modes, FileAttributes.EMPTY);
     }
 
     public RemoteFile open(String filename)
@@ -155,14 +155,12 @@ public class SFTPEngine
 
     public void makeDir(String path, FileAttributes attrs)
             throws IOException {
-        doRequest(
-                newRequest(PacketType.MKDIR).putString(path).putFileAttributes(attrs)
-        ).ensureStatusPacketIsOK();
+        doRequest(newRequest(PacketType.MKDIR).putString(path).putFileAttributes(attrs)).ensureStatusPacketIsOK();
     }
 
     public void makeDir(String path)
             throws IOException {
-        makeDir(path, new FileAttributes());
+        makeDir(path, FileAttributes.EMPTY);
     }
 
     public void symlink(String linkpath, String targetpath)
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPFileTransfer.java b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPFileTransfer.java
index d7a2a114..242e5f34 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPFileTransfer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/schmizz/sshj/sftp/SFTPFileTransfer.java
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class SFTPFileTransfer
         private void downloadDir(final RemoteResourceInfo remote, final File local)
                 throws IOException {
             final File adjusted = FileTransferUtil.getTargetDirectory(local, remote.getName());
-            setAttributes(remote, adjusted);
+            copyAttributes(remote, adjusted);
             final RemoteDirectory rd = sftp.openDir(remote.getPath());
             try {
                 for (RemoteResourceInfo rri : rd.scan(getDownloadFilter()))
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ public class SFTPFileTransfer
         private void downloadFile(final RemoteResourceInfo remote, final File local)
                 throws IOException {
             final File adjusted = FileTransferUtil.getTargetFile(local, remote.getName());
-            setAttributes(remote, adjusted);
+            copyAttributes(remote, adjusted);
             final RemoteFile rf = sftp.open(remote.getPath());
             try {
                 final FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(adjusted);
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public class SFTPFileTransfer
             }
         }
 
-        private void setAttributes(final RemoteResourceInfo remote, final File local)
+        private void copyAttributes(final RemoteResourceInfo remote, final File local)
                 throws IOException {
             final FileAttributes attrs = remote.getAttributes();
             getModeSetter().setPermissions(local, attrs.getMode().getPermissionsMask());
@@ -172,8 +172,10 @@ public class SFTPFileTransfer
         private void uploadFile(File local, String remote)
                 throws IOException {
             final String adjusted = prepareFile(local, remote);
-            final RemoteFile rf = sftp.open(adjusted, EnumSet.of(OpenMode.WRITE, OpenMode.CREAT, OpenMode.TRUNC),
-                                            getAttributes(local));
+            final RemoteFile rf = sftp.open(adjusted, EnumSet.of(OpenMode.WRITE,
+                                                                 OpenMode.CREAT,
+                                                                 OpenMode.TRUNC));
+            rf.setAttributes(getAttributes(local));
             try {
                 final FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(local);
                 try {