diff --git a/beetsplug/permissions.py b/beetsplug/permissions.py
index dd9e098436..8642eeb996 100644
--- a/beetsplug/permissions.py
+++ b/beetsplug/permissions.py
@@ -70,10 +70,29 @@ def __init__(self):
 
         self.register_listener('item_imported', self.fix)
         self.register_listener('album_imported', self.fix)
+        self.register_listener('art_set', self.fix_art)
 
     def fix(self, lib, item=None, album=None):
         """Fix the permissions for an imported Item or Album.
         """
+        files = []
+        dirs = set()
+        if item:
+            files.append(item.path)
+            dirs.update(dirs_in_library(lib.directory, item.path))
+        elif album:
+            for album_item in album.items():
+                files.append(album_item.path)
+                dirs.update(dirs_in_library(lib.directory, album_item.path))
+        self.set_permissions(files=files, dirs=dirs)
+
+    def fix_art(self, album):
+        """Fix the permission for Album art file.
+        """
+        if album.artpath:
+            self.set_permissions(files=[album.artpath])
+
+    def set_permissions(self, files=[], dirs=[]):
         # Get the configured permissions. The user can specify this either a
         # string (in YAML quotes) or, for convenience, as an integer so the
         # quotes can be omitted. In the latter case, we need to reinterpret the
@@ -83,18 +102,7 @@ def fix(self, lib, item=None, album=None):
         file_perm = convert_perm(file_perm)
         dir_perm = convert_perm(dir_perm)
 
-        # Create chmod_queue.
-        file_chmod_queue = []
-        if item:
-            file_chmod_queue.append(item.path)
-        elif album:
-            for album_item in album.items():
-                file_chmod_queue.append(album_item.path)
-
-        # A set of directories to change permissions for.
-        dir_chmod_queue = set()
-
-        for path in file_chmod_queue:
+        for path in files:
             # Changing permissions on the destination file.
             self._log.debug(
                 u'setting file permissions on {}',
@@ -105,13 +113,8 @@ def fix(self, lib, item=None, album=None):
             # Checks if the destination path has the permissions configured.
             assert_permissions(path, file_perm, self._log)
 
-            # Adding directories to the directory chmod queue.
-            dir_chmod_queue.update(
-                dirs_in_library(lib.directory,
-                                path))
-
         # Change permissions for the directories.
-        for path in dir_chmod_queue:
+        for path in dirs:
             # Chaning permissions on the destination directory.
             self._log.debug(
                 u'setting directory permissions on {}',
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index f32cae2b99..22a3e7120d 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ Major new features:
 * :doc:`/plugins/albumtypes`: An accompanying plugin for formatting
   ``albumtypes``. Thanks to :user:`edgars-supe`.
 
+Other new things:
+
+* Permissions plugin now sets cover art permissions to the file permissions.
 
 1.5.0 (August 19, 2021)
 -----------------------
diff --git a/test/test_permissions.py b/test/test_permissions.py
index ed84798f1e..9397fe0936 100644
--- a/test/test_permissions.py
+++ b/test/test_permissions.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from mock import patch, Mock
 
 from test.helper import TestHelper
+from test._common import touch
 from beets.util import displayable_path
 from beetsplug.permissions import (check_permissions,
                                    convert_perm,
@@ -82,6 +83,25 @@ def test_convert_perm_from_string(self):
     def test_convert_perm_from_int(self):
         self.assertEqual(convert_perm(10), 8)
 
+    def test_permissions_on_set_art(self):
+        self.do_set_art(True)
+
+    @patch("os.chmod", Mock())
+    def test_failing_permissions_on_set_art(self):
+        self.do_set_art(False)
+
+    def do_set_art(self, expect_success):
+        if platform.system() == 'Windows':
+            self.skipTest('permissions not available on Windows')
+        self.importer = self.create_importer()
+        self.importer.run()
+        album = self.lib.albums().get()
+        artpath = os.path.join(self.temp_dir, b'cover.jpg')
+        touch(artpath)
+        album.set_art(artpath)
+        self.assertEqual(expect_success,
+                         check_permissions(album.artpath, 0o777))
+
 
 def suite():
     return unittest.TestLoader().loadTestsFromName(__name__)