--- a/src/cp.c	
+++ a/src/cp.c	
@@ -784,9 +784,14 @@ cp_option_init (struct cp_options *x)
   x->explicit_no_preserve_mode = false;
   x->preserve_security_context = false;
   x->require_preserve_context = false;
+#if USE_XATTR
+  x->preserve_xattr = true;
+  x->require_preserve_xattr = true;
+#else
   x->preserve_xattr = false;
-  x->reduce_diagnostics = false;
   x->require_preserve_xattr = false;
+#endif
+  x->reduce_diagnostics = false;
 
   x->data_copy_required = true;
   x->require_preserve = false;
--- a/src/install.c	
+++ a/src/install.c	
@@ -280,7 +280,13 @@ cp_option_init (struct cp_options *x)
   x->data_copy_required = true;
   x->require_preserve = false;
   x->require_preserve_context = false;
+#if USE_XATTR
+  x->preserve_xattr = true;
+  x->require_preserve_xattr = true;
+#else
+  x->preserve_xattr = false;
   x->require_preserve_xattr = false;
+#endif
   x->recursive = false;
   x->sparse_mode = SPARSE_AUTO;
   x->symbolic_link = false;
@@ -296,7 +302,6 @@ cp_option_init (struct cp_options *x)
   x->open_dangling_dest_symlink = false;
   x->update = false;
   x->preserve_security_context = false;
-  x->preserve_xattr = false;
   x->verbose = false;
   x->dest_info = NULL;
   x->src_info = NULL;
--- a/src/mv.c	
+++ a/src/mv.c	
@@ -124,8 +124,13 @@ cp_option_init (struct cp_options *x)
   x->data_copy_required = true;
   x->require_preserve = false;  /* FIXME: maybe make this an option */
   x->require_preserve_context = false;
+#if USE_XATTR
   x->preserve_xattr = true;
+  x->require_preserve_xattr = true;
+#else
+  x->preserve_xattr = false;
   x->require_preserve_xattr = false;
+#endif
   x->recursive = true;
   x->sparse_mode = SPARSE_AUTO;  /* FIXME: maybe make this an option */
   x->symbolic_link = false;