diff --git a/gcp b/gcp
index b201c79..994452a 100755
--- a/gcp
+++ b/gcp
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ class GCP():
         parser.add_argument("-f", "--force", action="store_true", default=False,
                     help=_("force overwriting of existing files"))
 
-        parser.add_argument("--preserve", action="store", default='mode,ownership,timestamps',
+        parser.add_argument("--preserve", action="store", default='',
                     help=_("preserve  the  specified  attributes"))
 
         parser.add_argument("-L", "--dereference", action="store_true", default=False,
@@ -614,14 +614,17 @@ class GCP():
         if options.verbose:
             logging.getLogger().setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
 
-        preserve = set(options.preserve.split(','))
-        if not preserve.issubset(const_PRESERVE):
-            error (_("Invalide --preserve value\nvalid values are:"))
-            for value in const_PRESERVE:
-                error('- %s' % value)
-            exit(1)
+        if len(options.preserve):
+            preserve = set(options.preserve.split(','))
+            if not preserve.issubset(const_PRESERVE):
+                error (_("Invalide --preserve value\nvalid values are:"))
+                for value in const_PRESERVE:
+                    error('- %s' % value)
+                exit(1)
+            else:
+                options.preserve = preserve
         else:
-            options.preserve = preserve
+            options.preserve=set()
 
         self.__sourcesSaving(options, args)