diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/hooks/permissions_setters.py b/lib/spack/spack/hooks/permissions_setters.py
index fbd8079783e..ac34d1490f4 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/hooks/permissions_setters.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/hooks/permissions_setters.py
@@ -5,18 +5,18 @@
 
 import os
 
-import spack.util.file_permissions as fp
+import spack.package_prefs as pp
 
 
 def post_install(spec, explicit=None):
     if not spec.external:
-        fp.set_permissions_by_spec(spec.prefix, spec)
+        pp.set_permissions_by_spec(spec.prefix, spec)
 
         # os.walk explicitly set not to follow links
         for root, dirs, files in os.walk(spec.prefix, followlinks=False):
             for d in dirs:
                 if not os.path.islink(os.path.join(root, d)):
-                    fp.set_permissions_by_spec(os.path.join(root, d), spec)
+                    pp.set_permissions_by_spec(os.path.join(root, d), spec)
             for f in files:
                 if not os.path.islink(os.path.join(root, f)):
-                    fp.set_permissions_by_spec(os.path.join(root, f), spec)
+                    pp.set_permissions_by_spec(os.path.join(root, f), spec)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
index f40aa21b343..4193e5fc9a5 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/modules/common.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 import spack.environment
 import spack.error
 import spack.modules.common
+import spack.package_prefs as pp
 import spack.paths
 import spack.projections as proj
 import spack.repo
@@ -54,7 +55,6 @@
 import spack.store
 import spack.tengine as tengine
 import spack.util.environment
-import spack.util.file_permissions as fp
 import spack.util.path
 import spack.util.spack_yaml as syaml
 from spack.context import Context
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ def write(self, overwrite=False):
 
         # Set the file permissions of the module to match that of the package
         if os.path.exists(self.layout.filename):
-            fp.set_permissions_by_spec(self.layout.filename, self.spec)
+            pp.set_permissions_by_spec(self.layout.filename, self.spec)
 
         # Symlink defaults if needed
         self.update_module_defaults()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package_prefs.py b/lib/spack/spack/package_prefs.py
index 6be8751d94b..eb6f8520b20 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package_prefs.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package_prefs.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
 import stat
 import warnings
+import os
 
 import spack.error
 import spack.repo
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
 from spack.config import ConfigError
 from spack.util.path import canonicalize_path
 from spack.version import Version
+import spack.util.file_permissions as fp
 
 _lesser_spec_types = {"compiler": spack.spec.CompilerSpec, "version": Version}
 
@@ -296,5 +298,16 @@ def get_package_group(spec):
     return group
 
 
+def set_permissions_by_spec(path, spec):
+    # Get permissions for spec
+    if os.path.isdir(path):
+        perms = get_package_dir_permissions(spec)
+    else:
+        perms = get_package_permissions(spec)
+    group = get_package_group(spec)
+
+    fp.set_permissions(path, perms, group)
+
+
 class VirtualInPackagesYAMLError(spack.error.SpackError):
     """Raised when a disallowed virtual is found in packages.yaml"""
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/util/file_permissions.py b/lib/spack/spack/util/file_permissions.py
index 3d307874479..982dc022836 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/util/file_permissions.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/util/file_permissions.py
@@ -8,21 +8,9 @@
 
 import llnl.util.filesystem as fs
 
-import spack.package_prefs as pp
 from spack.util.error import UtilityError
 
 
-def set_permissions_by_spec(path, spec):
-    # Get permissions for spec
-    if os.path.isdir(path):
-        perms = pp.get_package_dir_permissions(spec)
-    else:
-        perms = pp.get_package_permissions(spec)
-    group = pp.get_package_group(spec)
-
-    set_permissions(path, perms, group)
-
-
 def set_permissions(path, perms, group=None):
     # Preserve higher-order bits of file permissions
     perms |= os.stat(path).st_mode & (st.S_ISUID | st.S_ISGID | st.S_ISVTX)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/verify.py b/lib/spack/spack/verify.py
index 01ca96fc7a4..ba242f35c85 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/verify.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/verify.py
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
 
+import spack.package_prefs as pp
 import spack.filesystem_view
 import spack.store
-import spack.util.file_permissions as fp
 import spack.util.spack_json as sjson
 from spack.package_base import spack_times_log
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def write_manifest(spec):
         with open(manifest_file, "w") as f:
             sjson.dump(manifest, f)
 
-        fp.set_permissions_by_spec(manifest_file, spec)
+        pp.set_permissions_by_spec(manifest_file, spec)
 
 
 def check_entry(path, data):