diff --git a/cmd/cmount/fs.go b/cmd/cmount/fs.go
index fb502e43e..5af4acf06 100644
--- a/cmd/cmount/fs.go
+++ b/cmd/cmount/fs.go
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ func (fsys *FS) Open(path string, flags int) (errc int, fh uint64) {
 	defer fs.Trace(path, "flags=0x%X", flags)("errc=%d, fh=0x%X", &errc, &fh)
 
 	// translate the fuse flags to os flags
-	flags = translateOpenFlags(flags)
+	flags = translateOpenFlags(flags) | os.O_CREATE
 	handle, err := fsys.VFS.OpenFile(path, flags, 0777)
 	if errc != 0 {
 		return translateError(err), fhUnset
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func (fsys *FS) Create(filePath string, flags int, mode uint32) (errc int, fh ui
 		return translateError(err), fhUnset
 	}
 	// translate the fuse flags to os flags
-	flags = translateOpenFlags(flags)
+	flags = translateOpenFlags(flags) | os.O_CREATE
 	handle, err := file.Open(flags)
 	if err != nil {
 		return translateError(err), fhUnset
diff --git a/cmd/mount/dir.go b/cmd/mount/dir.go
index 9e301d62d..8cef250a5 100644
--- a/cmd/mount/dir.go
+++ b/cmd/mount/dir.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func (d *Dir) Create(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.CreateRequest, resp *fuse.Cr
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, translateError(err)
 	}
-	fh, err := file.Open(int(req.Flags))
+	fh, err := file.Open(int(req.Flags) | os.O_CREATE)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, translateError(err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/mount/file.go b/cmd/mount/file.go
index 016d47334..706936c55 100644
--- a/cmd/mount/file.go
+++ b/cmd/mount/file.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package mount
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"bazil.org/fuse"
@@ -64,7 +65,10 @@ func (f *File) Open(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.OpenRequest, resp *fuse.OpenR
 
 	// fuse flags are based off syscall flags as are os flags, so
 	// should be compatible
-	handle, err := f.File.Open(int(req.Flags))
+	//
+	// we seem to be missing O_CREATE here so add it in to allow
+	// file creation
+	handle, err := f.File.Open(int(req.Flags) | os.O_CREATE)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, translateError(err)
 	}