diff --git a/sh/tmpfiles.sh.in b/sh/tmpfiles.sh.in
index 6d4c614..f7a9451 100755
--- a/sh/tmpfiles.sh.in
+++ b/sh/tmpfiles.sh.in
@@ -301,22 +301,21 @@ for FILE in $tmpfiles_d ; do
 			*!) [ "$BOOT" -eq "1" ] || continue; cmd=${cmd%!} ;;
 		esac
 
-		# whine about invalid entries
+		# Whine about invalid entries
 		case $cmd in
-			f|F|w|d|D|p|L|c|b|x|X|r|R|z|Z) ;;
-			\#) continue ;;
-			*) warninvalid ; continue ;;
+			f|F|w|d|D|p|L|c|b|x|X|r|R|z|Z)
+				# Valid commands
+				;;
+			\#*)
+				# UNIX-like comments
+				continue
+				;;
+			*)
+				warninvalid
+				continue
+				;;
 		esac
 
-		# fall back on defaults when parameters are passed as '-'
-		if [ "$mode" = '-' -o "$mode" = '' ]; then
-			case "$cmd" in
-				p|f|F) mode=0644 ;;
-				d|D) mode=0755 ;;
-				z|Z|x|r|R|L) ;;
-			esac
-		fi
-
 		[ "$uid" = '-' -o "$uid" = '' ] && uid=0
 		[ "$gid" = '-' -o "$gid" = '' ] && gid=0
 		[ "$age" = '-' -o "$age" = '' ] && age=0