diff --git a/osbuild/objectstore.py b/osbuild/objectstore.py
index 922d5eec..4536e4a1 100644
--- a/osbuild/objectstore.py
+++ b/osbuild/objectstore.py
@@ -244,18 +244,20 @@ class Object:
         if self.mode != want:
             raise ValueError(f"Wrong object mode: {self.mode}, want {want}")
 
-    def export(self, to_directory: PathLike):
+    def export(self, to_directory: PathLike, skip_preserve_owner=False):
         """Copy object into an external directory"""
-        subprocess.run(
-            [
-                "cp",
-                "--reflink=auto",
-                "-a",
-                os.fspath(self.tree) + "/.",
-                os.fspath(to_directory),
-            ],
-            check=True,
-        )
+        cp_cmd = [
+            "cp",
+            "--reflink=auto",
+            "-a",
+        ]
+        if skip_preserve_owner:
+            cp_cmd += ["--no-preserve=ownership"]
+        cp_cmd += [
+            os.fspath(self.tree) + "/.",
+            os.fspath(to_directory),
+        ]
+        subprocess.run(cp_cmd, check=True)
 
     def __fspath__(self):
         return self.tree
diff --git a/test/mod/test_objectstore.py b/test/mod/test_objectstore.py
index e7aa348a..94711601 100644
--- a/test/mod/test_objectstore.py
+++ b/test/mod/test_objectstore.py
@@ -320,3 +320,32 @@ def test_store_server(tmp_path):
 
         with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
             _ = client.read_tree_at("42", tmp_path, "/nonexistent")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.getuid() != 0, reason="needs root")
+def test_object_export_preserves_ownership_by_default(tmp_path, object_store):
+    tree = object_store.new("a")
+    p = Path(tree, "A")
+    p.touch()
+    os.chown(os.fspath(p), 1000, 1000)
+    tree.export(tmp_path)
+
+    expected_exported_path = Path(tmp_path, "A")
+    assert expected_exported_path.exists()
+    assert expected_exported_path.stat().st_uid == 1000
+    assert expected_exported_path.stat().st_gid == 1000
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.getuid() != 0, reason="needs root")
+def test_object_export_preserves_override(tmp_path, object_store):
+    tree = object_store.new("a")
+    p = Path(tree, "A")
+    p.touch()
+    os.chown(os.fspath(p), 1000, 1000)
+    tree.export(tmp_path, skip_preserve_owner=True)
+
+    expected_exported_path = Path(tmp_path, "A")
+    assert expected_exported_path.exists()
+    assert expected_exported_path.stat().st_uid == 0
+    assert expected_exported_path.stat().st_gid == 0
+