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The following error is given when trying to connect to a remote host using sshfs on Ubuntu (16.04 LTS):

fuse: unknown option `defer_permissions'

after using the command:

sshfs -o allow_other,defer_permissions username@remotehost.com:/ /mnt/connected/

which is provided in this Digital Ocean tutorial.

Removing the option "defer_permissions" allows the command to successfully execute, and the remote host folder is mounted to the local /mnt/connected/; however, the permissions appear incorrect.

If "defer_permissions" is an unknown option, what option should be used to get the correct permissions when mounting a folder with sshfs?

Alex Willison
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dhargo
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2 Answers2

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Having looked at the sshfs man page, I'd say that defer_permissions does not exist as an option. However, default_permissions is listed.

I've used this and so far it's working for me.

Could there be a typo in the instructions you were following? (Would it be https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-use-sshfs-to-mount-remote-file-systems-over-ssh by any chance?)

I'm sticking with the typo theory unless anyone else knows better.

Sylvain Pineau
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Graham Watkins
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    Digital Ocean is where I saw this as well. – User 1058612 Oct 28 '16 at 19:30
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    I noticed that defer_permissions worked on my Mac, but not on my Ubuntu machine. – Selah May 31 '17 at 21:11
  • when I use `default_permissions` I cannot see inside the mount (compared to when I din't use it). Therefore I think that the `default_permissions` simply brings the same ownership from the remote machine to local – Mehrad Mahmoudian Jul 12 '19 at 13:20
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The defer_permissions option fixes some issues on translating filesystem permissions when mounting SSH filesystem from Mac OS.

That's the reason why it's useless (and maybe have been removed from command syntax) when mounting from Ubuntu, while it works when launched from a Mac.

bytepan
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    [osxfuse mount options](https://github.com/osxfuse/osxfuse/wiki/Mount-options): _"The defer_permissions causes osxfuse to assume that all accesses are allowed--it will forward all operations to the file system, and it is up to somebody else to eventually allow or deny the operations"_ – bartolo-otrit Feb 19 '20 at 07:16