diff --git a/etc/newsyslog.conf b/etc/newsyslog.conf
index 78605f74ebad..01893d7ffcf9 100644
--- a/etc/newsyslog.conf
+++ b/etc/newsyslog.conf
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 /var/log/kerberos.log			600  7	   100	*     Z
 /var/log/lpd-errs			644  7	   100	*     Z
 /var/log/maillog			640  7	   *	@T00  Z
-/var/log/sendmail.st			644  10	   *	168   B
+/var/log/sendmail.st			640  10	   *	168   B
 /var/log/messages			644  5	   100	*     Z
 /var/log/all.log			600  7	   *	@T00  Z
 /var/log/slip.log	root:network	640  3	   100	*     Z
diff --git a/etc/sendmail/Makefile b/etc/sendmail/Makefile
index 5162498ba6ab..394d7b1498ca 100644
--- a/etc/sendmail/Makefile
+++ b/etc/sendmail/Makefile
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ distribution:	freebsd.cf freebsd.mc ${INSTALL_CF} ${INSTALL_SUBMIT_CF}
 .endif
 	${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 444 ${SMDIR}/helpfile \
 	    ${DESTDIR}/etc/mail/helpfile
-	${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 644 /dev/null \
+	${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 640 /dev/null \
 	    ${DESTDIR}/var/log/sendmail.st
 
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>