diff --git a/sat/memory/memory.py b/sat/memory/memory.py
index 06afea95..cbd8eb83 100644
--- a/sat/memory/memory.py
+++ b/sat/memory/memory.py
@@ -1222,7 +1222,15 @@ class Memory(object):
                 perm_data = file_data["access"][perm]
                 perm_type = perm_data["type"]
             except KeyError:
-                raise exceptions.PermissionError()
+                # No permission is set.
+                # If we are in a root file/directory, we deny access
+                # otherwise, we use public permission, as the parent directory will
+                # block anyway, this avoid to have to recursively change permissions for
+                # all sub directories/files when modifying a permission
+                if not file_data.get('parent'):
+                    raise exceptions.PermissionError()
+                else:
+                    perm_type == C.ACCESS_TYPE_PUBLIC
             if perm_type == C.ACCESS_TYPE_PUBLIC:
                 continue
             elif perm_type == C.ACCESS_TYPE_WHITELIST:
diff --git a/sat/memory/sqlite.py b/sat/memory/sqlite.py
index dce110c1..0adbdc54 100644
--- a/sat/memory/sqlite.py
+++ b/sat/memory/sqlite.py
@@ -1426,7 +1426,7 @@ class Updater(object):
         )
         statements.extend([
             f"INSERT INTO files({cols}) SELECT {old_cols} FROM files_old",
-            f"DROP TABLE files_old",
+            "DROP TABLE files_old",
         ])
         statements.extend(Updater.indexData2Raw(index))
         return statements