diff --git a/cmd/dockerd/service_windows.go b/cmd/dockerd/service_windows.go
index 92d2462376865..2d7c3b7da621e 100644
--- a/cmd/dockerd/service_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/dockerd/service_windows.go
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ Loop:
 
 func initPanicFile(path string) error {
 	var err error
-	panicFile, err = os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND, 0)
+	panicFile, err = os.OpenFile(path, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND, 0o200)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}