diff --git a/common/foundry_install.py b/common/foundry_install.py
index 3ad0b0d..497a908 100755
--- a/common/foundry_install.py
+++ b/common/foundry_install.py
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@
         # File contents have been modified, so if this file was a symbolic
         # link, then remove it.  Otherwise, overwrite the file with the
         # modified contents.
+        makeuserwritable(vfile)
         if os.path.islink(vfile):
             os.unlink(vfile)
         with open(vfile, 'w') as ofile:
diff --git a/gf180mcu/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py b/gf180mcu/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
index b13eda4..2ea70be 100755
--- a/gf180mcu/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
+++ b/gf180mcu/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 import re
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
+
+def makeuserwritable(filepath):
+    if os.path.exists(filepath):
+        st = os.stat(filepath)
+        os.chmod(filepath, st.st_mode | stat.S_IWUSR)
 
 def filter(inname, outname):
 
@@ -73,6 +79,7 @@
             else:
                 os.unlink(outname)
         try:
+            makeuserwritable(outname)
             with open(outname, 'w') as outFile:
                 for i in fixedlines:
                     print(i, file=outFile)
diff --git a/sky130/Makefile.in b/sky130/Makefile.in
index 8ef1986..b60e3a5 100644
--- a/sky130/Makefile.in
+++ b/sky130/Makefile.in
@@ -1264,6 +1264,7 @@
 	# then remove the larger of the two example directories 
 	if test "x${XSCHEM_PATH}" != "x" ; then \
 		cp -rp ${XSCHEM_PATH}/* ${XSCHEM_STAGING_$*} ; \
+		chmod -R u+w ${XSCHEM_STAGING_$*}; \
 		rm -rf ${XSCHEM_STAGING_$*}/decred_hash_macro ; \
 	fi
 	# xschem setup is for sky130A.  Fix for the given target variant.
diff --git a/sky130/custom/scripts/fix_io_lef.py b/sky130/custom/scripts/fix_io_lef.py
index 4255784..d15b0f2 100755
--- a/sky130/custom/scripts/fix_io_lef.py
+++ b/sky130/custom/scripts/fix_io_lef.py
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@
 import re
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
+
+def makeuserwritable(filepath):
+    if os.path.exists(filepath):
+        st = os.stat(filepath)
+        os.chmod(filepath, st.st_mode | stat.S_IWUSR)
+
 
 def filter(inname, outname):
 
@@ -83,6 +90,7 @@
             else:
                 os.unlink(outname)
         try:
+            makeuserwritable(outname)
             with open(outname, 'w') as outFile:
                 for i in fixedlines:
                     print(i, file=outFile)
diff --git a/sky130/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py b/sky130/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
index 9090ca1..df3e4af 100755
--- a/sky130/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
+++ b/sky130/custom/scripts/inc_verilog.py
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 import re
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
+
+def makeuserwritable(filepath):
+    if os.path.exists(filepath):
+        st = os.stat(filepath)
+        os.chmod(filepath, st.st_mode | stat.S_IWUSR)
 
 def filter(inname, outname):
 
@@ -103,6 +109,7 @@
             else:
                 os.unlink(outname)
         try:
+            makeuserwritable(outname)
             with open(outname, 'w') as outFile:
                 for i in fixedlines:
                     print(i, file=outFile)
diff --git a/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_cells.py b/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_cells.py
index 2d4dc73..2576bee 100755
--- a/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_cells.py
+++ b/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_cells.py
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 import re
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
+
+def makeuserwritable(filepath):
+    if os.path.exists(filepath):
+        st = os.stat(filepath)
+        os.chmod(filepath, st.st_mode | stat.S_IWUSR)
 
 def filter(inname, outname):
 
@@ -54,6 +60,7 @@
             else:
                 os.unlink(outname)
         try:
+            makeuserwritable(outname)
             with open(outname, 'w') as outFile:
                 for i in fixedlines:
                     print(i, file=outFile)
diff --git a/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_models.py b/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_models.py
index 5b42af8..f95f5ba 100755
--- a/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_models.py
+++ b/sky130/custom/scripts/rename_models.py
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
 import re
 import os
 import sys
+import stat
+
+def makeuserwritable(filepath):
+    if os.path.exists(filepath):
+        st = os.stat(filepath)
+        os.chmod(filepath, st.st_mode | stat.S_IWUSR)
 
 def filter(inname, outname, ef_format = True):
 
@@ -62,6 +68,7 @@
             else:
                 os.unlink(outname)
         try:
+            makeuserwritable(outname)
             with open(outname, 'w') as outFile:
                 for i in fixedlines:
                     print(i, file=outFile)