diff --git a/gitbatch/cli.py b/gitbatch/cli.py
index 8f970b3..434b08e 100644
--- a/gitbatch/cli.py
+++ b/gitbatch/cli.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import git
 from gitbatch import __version__
 from gitbatch.logging import SingleLog
 from gitbatch.utils import normalize_path, to_bool
+from gitbatch.utils.copy import copy_file_with_basic_stats
 
 
 class GitBatch:
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ class GitBatch:
                         repo["dest"],
                         ignore=shutil.ignore_patterns(".git"),
                         dirs_exist_ok=self.config["ignore_existing"],
+                        copy_function=copy_file_with_basic_stats,
                     )
                 except FileExistsError:
                     self._file_exist_handler()
diff --git a/gitbatch/utils.py b/gitbatch/utils/__init__.py
similarity index 97%
rename from gitbatch/utils.py
rename to gitbatch/utils/__init__.py
index 9984e30..117775c 100644
--- a/gitbatch/utils.py
+++ b/gitbatch/utils/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
 """Global utility methods and classes."""
 
 import os
diff --git a/gitbatch/utils/copy.py b/gitbatch/utils/copy.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70e65b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gitbatch/utils/copy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""Copy file utils."""
+
+import shutil
+from os import utime
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def _coerce_to_path(source, dest):
+    return Path(source).resolve(), Path(dest).resolve()
+
+
+def copy_basic_file_stats(source, dest):
+    """
+    Copy only the m_time and a_time attributes from source to destination.
+
+    Both are expected to exist. The extended attribute copy has sideeffects
+    with SELinux and files copied from temporary directories and copystat
+    doesn't allow disabling these copies.
+    """
+    source, dest = _coerce_to_path(source, dest)
+    src_stat = source.stat()
+    utime(dest, ns=(src_stat.st_atime_ns, src_stat.st_mtime_ns))
+
+
+def copy_file_with_basic_stats(source, dest):
+    """
+    Simplified copy2 to copy extended file attributes.
+
+    Only the access time and modified times are copied as
+    extended attribute copy has sideeffects with SELinux and files
+    copied from temporary directories.
+    """
+    source, dest = _coerce_to_path(source, dest)
+
+    shutil.copy(source, dest)
+    copy_basic_file_stats(source, dest)