diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c03ef9de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package chmod
+
+import (
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/assets"
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/overlay"
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/wwlog"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"strconv"
+)
+
+func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	config := config.New()
+	var overlaySourceDir string
+	overlayName := args[0]
+	fileName := args[2]
+
+	permissionMode, err := strconv.ParseInt(args[1], 8, 32)
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Could not convert requested mode: %s\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if SystemOverlay == true {
+		overlaySourceDir = config.SystemOverlaySource(overlayName)
+	} else {
+		overlaySourceDir = config.RuntimeOverlaySource(overlayName)
+	}
+
+	if util.IsDir(overlaySourceDir) == false {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Overlay does not exist: %s\n", overlayName)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	overlayFile := path.Join(overlaySourceDir, fileName)
+
+	if util.IsFile(overlayFile) == false {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "File does not exist within overlay: %s:%s\n", overlayName, fileName)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	err = os.Chmod(overlayFile, os.FileMode(permissionMode))
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Could not set permission: %s\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if NoOverlayUpdate == false {
+		nodes, err := assets.FindAllNodes()
+		if err != nil {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Cloud not get nodeList: %s\n", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		var updateNodes []assets.NodeInfo
+
+		for _, node := range nodes {
+			if SystemOverlay == true && node.SystemOverlay == overlayName {
+				updateNodes = append(updateNodes, node)
+			} else if node.RuntimeOverlay == overlayName {
+				updateNodes = append(updateNodes, node)
+			}
+		}
+
+		if SystemOverlay == true {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.INFO, "Updating System Overlays...\n")
+			return overlay.SystemBuild(updateNodes, true)
+		} else {
+			wwlog.Printf(wwlog.INFO, "Updating Runtime Overlays...\n")
+			return overlay.RuntimeBuild(updateNodes, true)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/root.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/root.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1fa4abb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/root.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package chmod
+
+import "github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+var (
+	baseCmd = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:                "chmod [overlay name] [numeric mode] [file path]",
+		Short:              "Change permissions within an overlay",
+		Long:               "Change permissions within an overlay",
+		RunE:				CobraRunE,
+		Args: 				cobra.ExactArgs(3),
+
+	}
+	SystemOverlay bool
+	NoOverlayUpdate bool
+)
+
+func init() {
+	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&SystemOverlay, "system", "s", false, "Show System Overlays as well")
+	baseCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&NoOverlayUpdate, "noupdate", "n", false, "Don't update overlays")
+
+}
+
+// GetRootCommand returns the root cobra.Command for the application.
+func GetCommand() *cobra.Command {
+	return baseCmd
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
index 8b0a58d9..709b0ad3 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		for i := 1; i < len(args); i++ {
 			removePath := path.Join(overlayPath, args[i])
 
-			if util.IsDir(removePath) == true || util.IsFile(removePath) == true {
+			if util.IsDir(removePath) == false && util.IsFile(removePath) == false {
 				wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Path to remove doesn't exist in overlay: %s\n", removePath)
 				os.Exit(1)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
index beadb6ec..b53fe5b5 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	editor := config.Editor
 	var overlaySourceDir string
 
-
 	if SystemOverlay == true {
 		overlaySourceDir = config.SystemOverlaySource(args[0])
 	} else {
@@ -70,14 +69,29 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "\n")
 	}
 
-	err := util.ExecInteractive(editor, overlayFile)
 
+	shasum1, err := util.ShaSumFile(overlayFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "Could not open overlay file for checksum: %s\n", err)
+	}
+
+	err = util.ExecInteractive(editor, overlayFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Editor process existed with non-zero\n")
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	wwlog.Printf(wwlog.INFO, "Updated: %s %s\n", args[0], args[1] )
 
+	shasum2, err := util.ShaSumFile(overlayFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.WARN, "Could not open overlay file for checksum: %s\n", err)
+	}
+
+	if shasum1 == shasum2 {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.VERBOSE, "Not updating overlays, no file change\n")
+		NoOverlayUpdate = true
+	}
+
 	if NoOverlayUpdate == false {
 		nodes, err := assets.FindAllNodes()
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/root.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/root.go
index 68903a95..7223f4ad 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/root.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package overlay
 
 import (
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/build"
+	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/create"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ func init() {
 	baseCmd.AddCommand(mkdir.GetCommand())
 	baseCmd.AddCommand(build.GetCommand())
 	baseCmd.AddCommand(imprt.GetCommand())
+	baseCmd.AddCommand(chmod.GetCommand())
 
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/util/util.go b/internal/pkg/util/util.go
index 2db464ca..aaa030cd 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/util/util.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/util/util.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package util
 
 import (
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/wwlog"
 	"io"
 	"math/rand"
@@ -160,4 +162,23 @@ func ExecInteractive(command string, a...string) error {
 	c.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	err := c.Run()
 	return err
+}
+
+
+
+func ShaSumFile(file string) (string, error) {
+	var ret string
+
+	f, err := os.Open(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, nil
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	h := sha256.New()
+	if _, err := io.Copy(h, f); err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x", h.Sum(nil)), nil
 }
\ No newline at end of file