diff --git a/Utility/SshConfig.hs b/Utility/SshConfig.hs
index d6cd320787..080f6479f4 100644
--- a/Utility/SshConfig.hs
+++ b/Utility/SshConfig.hs
@@ -127,9 +127,13 @@ writeSshConfig f s = do
 
 {- Ensure that the ssh config file lacks any group or other write bits, 
  - since ssh is paranoid about not working if other users can write
- - to one of its config files (.ssh/config and .ssh/authorized_keys) -}
+ - to one of its config files (.ssh/config and .ssh/authorized_keys).
+ -
+ - If the chmod fails, ignore the failure, as it might be a filesystem like
+ - Android's that does not support file modes.
+ -}
 setSshConfigMode :: FilePath -> IO ()
-setSshConfigMode f = modifyFileMode f $
+setSshConfigMode f = void $ tryIO $ modifyFileMode f $
 	removeModes [groupWriteMode, otherWriteMode]
 
 sshDir :: IO FilePath
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 845507b24a..a805e234ec 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ git-annex (5.20140128) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * Windows: Fix bug in symlink calculation code.
   * Fix initremote with encryption=pubkey to work with S3, glacier, webdav,
     and external special remotes.
+  * Android: Avoid crashing when unable to set file mode for ssh config file
+    due to Android filesystem horribleness.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Tue, 28 Jan 2014 13:57:19 -0400
 
diff --git a/doc/bugs/Android:_Adding_Repository_on_Remote_Server_fails_with___34__Internal_Server_Error__34__.mdwn b/doc/bugs/Android:_Adding_Repository_on_Remote_Server_fails_with___34__Internal_Server_Error__34__.mdwn
index 79f1e270d5..ed0eb14696 100644
--- a/doc/bugs/Android:_Adding_Repository_on_Remote_Server_fails_with___34__Internal_Server_Error__34__.mdwn
+++ b/doc/bugs/Android:_Adding_Repository_on_Remote_Server_fails_with___34__Internal_Server_Error__34__.mdwn
@@ -15,3 +15,6 @@ Add a repository on a remote server to an existing repository. After selecting "
 
 git-annex version 5.20140116-g2d9ec29
 Android version 4.4 (running on a Nexus 5)
+
+> I have made this failure to set the file mode not be a fatal error.
+> [[fixed|done]] --[[Joey]]