diff --git a/src/common/mfu_flist_copy.c b/src/common/mfu_flist_copy.c
index 0775116f..e3af0a2b 100644
--- a/src/common/mfu_flist_copy.c
+++ b/src/common/mfu_flist_copy.c
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 #include <time.h> /* asctime / localtime */
 #include <regex.h>
 
+#if DCOPY_USE_XATTRS
+#include <linux/fs.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBATTR
 #include <attr/libattr.h>
 #endif /* HAVE_LIBATTR */
@@ -443,6 +447,50 @@ static int mfu_copy_xattrs(
     mfu_free(&list);
     list_bufsize = 0;
 
+    /* open the src */
+    int src_fd = open(src_path, O_RDONLY);
+    if (src_fd < 0) {
+        MFU_LOG(MFU_LOG_ERR, "open failed: `%s' errno=%d (%s)", src_path, errno, strerror(errno));
+        rc = -1;
+        goto xattr_fin;
+    }
+    /* open the dest */
+    int dest_fd = open(dest_path, O_RDONLY);
+    if (dest_fd < 0) {
+        MFU_LOG(MFU_LOG_ERR, "open failed: `%s' errno=%d (%s)", dest_path, errno, strerror(errno));
+        rc = -1;
+        goto xattr_close_src;
+    }
+    struct fsxattr src_attr;
+    /* get src's xattr */
+    rc = ioctl(src_fd, FS_IOC_FSGETXATTR, &src_attr);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        MFU_LOG(MFU_LOG_ERR, "ioctl(FS_IOC_FSGETXATTR) failed: `%s' errno=%d (%s)", src_path, errno, strerror(errno));
+        goto xattr_close_dest;
+    }
+    struct fsxattr dest_attr;
+    /* get dest's xattr */
+    rc = ioctl(dest_fd, FS_IOC_FSGETXATTR, &dest_attr);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        MFU_LOG(MFU_LOG_ERR, "ioctl(FS_IOC_FSGETXATTR) failed: `%s' errno=%d (%s)", dest_path, errno, strerror(errno));
+        goto xattr_close_dest;
+    }
+    dest_attr.fsx_projid = src_attr.fsx_projid;
+    dest_attr.fsx_xflags = (dest_attr.fsx_xflags & ~FS_XFLAG_PROJINHERIT) |
+                           (src_attr.fsx_xflags & FS_XFLAG_PROJINHERIT);
+    /* set dest's xattr */
+    rc = ioctl(dest_fd, FS_IOC_FSSETXATTR, &dest_attr);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        MFU_LOG(MFU_LOG_ERR, "ioctl(FS_IOC_FSSETXATTR) failed: `%s' errno=%d (%s)", dest_path, errno, strerror(errno));
+    }
+xattr_close_dest:
+    /* close dest */
+    close(dest_fd);
+xattr_close_src:
+    /* close src */
+    close(src_fd);
+xattr_fin:
+
 #endif /* DCOPY_USE_XATTR */
 
     return rc;