diff --git a/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp b/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
index 9db454db6c..b4c50e27a7 100644
--- a/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/propagatedownload.cpp
@@ -427,6 +427,12 @@ void PropagateDownloadFile::startAfterIsEncryptedIsChecked()
         }
         propagator()->_journal->deleteFileRecord(_item->_originalFile);
         updateMetadata(false);
+
+        if (!_item->_remotePerm.isNull() && !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanWrite)) {
+            // make sure ReadOnly flag is preserved for placeholder, similarly to regular files
+            FileSystem::setFileReadOnly(propagator()->fullLocalPath(_item->_file), true);
+        }
+
         return;
     }
     if (vfs->mode() == Vfs::Off && _item->_type == ItemTypeVirtualFile) {
@@ -446,6 +452,12 @@ void PropagateDownloadFile::startAfterIsEncryptedIsChecked()
             return;
         }
         updateMetadata(false);
+
+        if (!_item->_remotePerm.isNull() && !_item->_remotePerm.hasPermission(RemotePermissions::CanWrite)) {
+            // make sure ReadOnly flag is preserved for placeholder, similarly to regular files
+            FileSystem::setFileReadOnly(propagator()->fullLocalPath(_item->_file), true);
+        }
+
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
index dcd75d46d0..667e4c82b9 100644
--- a/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/vfs/cfapi/vfs_cfapi.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ Result<void, QString> VfsCfApi::dehydratePlaceholder(const SyncFileItem &item)
 {
     const auto previousPin = pinState(item._file);
 
-    if (!QFile::remove(_setupParams.filesystemPath + item._file)) {
+    if (!FileSystem::remove(_setupParams.filesystemPath + item._file)) {
         return QStringLiteral("Couldn't remove %1 to fulfill dehydration").arg(item._file);
     }