diff --git a/apps/wolfssh-options.c b/apps/wolfssh-options.c
index 2f91713a9..926abcd6c 100644
--- a/apps/wolfssh-options.c
+++ b/apps/wolfssh-options.c
@@ -109,6 +109,12 @@ int main(void)
 #endif
 #ifdef WOLFSSH_ALLOW_NONE_CIPHER
     printf("NONE_CIPHER\n");
+#endif
+    /* Same guard as WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS in wolfsshd.c; keep the two in
+     * step. The sshd tests use this to skip the host key negative cases. */
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS) && \
+        (defined(__QNX__) || defined(__QNXNTO__))
+    printf("HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS\n");
 #endif
     /* Same guard as wIsSymlink in port.h. */
 #if defined(WOLFSSH_HAVE_SYMLINK) && \
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/auth.c b/apps/wolfsshd/auth.c
index 1b7a74155..86093547b 100644
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/auth.c
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/auth.c
@@ -559,7 +559,8 @@ void wolfSSHD_AuthInit(void)
 #ifndef WOLFSSHD_UNIT_TEST
     /* /etc/shadow is commonly root:shadow 0640; don't reject group-readable. */
     if (wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(WSSHD_SHADOW_FILE, 0 /* ownerUid: root */,
-            0 /* rejectReadable */, NULL, &f) == WS_SUCCESS && f != NULL) {
+            0 /* rejectReadable */, 0 /* relaxPerms */, NULL, &f)
+            == WS_SUCCESS && f != NULL) {
         ScanShadowFile(f);
         WFCLOSE(NULL, f);
     }
@@ -1069,6 +1070,11 @@ WOLFSSHD_STATIC int ResolveAuthKeysPath(const char* homeDir,
  *                    service account's tree).
  *   rejectReadable - when set, also refuse a file that is group or world
  *                    readable. Used for secrets such as the host private key.
+ *   relaxPerms     - skip the ownership, mode and directory checks, ignoring
+ *                    ownerUid and rejectReadable. A symlinked leaf, non-regular
+ *                    file or swap during the open is still refused, but a
+ *                    writable ancestor can substitute the file. Host key only,
+ *                    see WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS in wolfsshd.c.
  *   heap           - heap hint for the temporary path buffer.
  *   out            - set to the open stream on success, WBADFILE otherwise.
  *
@@ -1076,7 +1082,7 @@ WOLFSSHD_STATIC int ResolveAuthKeysPath(const char* homeDir,
  * failure. On platforms without POSIX ownership semantics (_WIN32) the checks
  * are skipped and the file is opened directly, relying on filesystem ACLs. */
 int wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid,
-        int rejectReadable, void* heap, WFILE** out)
+        int rejectReadable, int relaxPerms, void* heap, WFILE** out)
 {
 #ifndef _WIN32
     int ret = WS_SUCCESS;
@@ -1149,18 +1155,19 @@ int wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid,
                 "[SSHD] Refusing to load (not a regular file): %s", path);
             ret = WS_BAD_FILE_E;
         }
-        else if (st.st_uid != ownerUid && st.st_uid != 0) {
+        else if (!relaxPerms && st.st_uid != ownerUid && st.st_uid != 0) {
             wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR,
                 "[SSHD] Refusing to load (not owned by the user or root): %s",
                 path);
             ret = WS_BAD_FILE_E;
         }
-        else if ((st.st_mode & (S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH)) != 0) {
+        else if (!relaxPerms && (st.st_mode & (S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH)) != 0) {
             wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR,
                 "[SSHD] Refusing to load (group or world writable): %s", path);
             ret = WS_BAD_FILE_E;
         }
-        else if (rejectReadable && (st.st_mode & (S_IRGRP | S_IROTH)) != 0) {
+        else if (!relaxPerms && rejectReadable &&
+                 (st.st_mode & (S_IRGRP | S_IROTH)) != 0) {
             wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR,
                 "[SSHD] Refusing to load (group or world readable): %s", path);
             ret = WS_BAD_FILE_E;
@@ -1180,8 +1187,8 @@ int wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid,
      * owned by a third party from being loaded. Since realpath() resolved all
      * intermediate symlinks, this is the same chain open() traversed. The walk
      * trims components from 'resolved' in place, which is fine now that the file
-     * is already open. */
-    while (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+     * is already open. Skipped under relaxPerms. */
+    while (ret == WS_SUCCESS && !relaxPerms) {
         /* trim the last component to move up one directory */
         slash = NULL;
         for (i = 0; resolved[i] != '\0'; i++) {
@@ -1256,6 +1263,7 @@ int wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid,
 #else
     WOLFSSH_UNUSED(ownerUid);
     WOLFSSH_UNUSED(rejectReadable);
+    WOLFSSH_UNUSED(relaxPerms);
     WOLFSSH_UNUSED(heap);
 
     if (path == NULL || out == NULL) {
@@ -1293,7 +1301,8 @@ static int SearchKeysFile(const char* keysFilePath, const byte* key,
      * Otherwise fall back to a plain open. */
     if (strictModes) {
         if (wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(keysFilePath, uid,
-                0 /* rejectReadable */, NULL, &f) != WS_SUCCESS) {
+                0 /* rejectReadable */, 0 /* relaxPerms */, NULL, &f)
+                != WS_SUCCESS) {
             wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_ERROR,
                 "[SSHD] Keys file failed StrictModes check: %s", keysFilePath);
             ret = WSSHD_AUTH_FAILURE;
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/auth.h b/apps/wolfsshd/auth.h
index 637cdda7b..16d30c86f 100644
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/auth.h
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/auth.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ int wolfSSHD_GetHomeDirectory(WOLFSSHD_AUTH* auth, WOLFSSH* ssh, WCHAR* out, int
  * and the trust-anchor loads in wolfsshd.c (host key, host cert, user CA keys).
  * See the definition in auth.c for the meaning of each argument. */
 int wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid,
-    int rejectReadable, void* heap, WFILE** out);
+    int rejectReadable, int relaxPerms, void* heap, WFILE** out);
 
 /* classifies a loaded host private key buffer as OpenSSH or ASN1/DER.
  * *keyDer is a WMALLOC'd (heap, DYNTYPE_SSHD) buffer to WS_FORCEZERO +
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh b/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
index 65cc89aa9..46f0c8aeb 100755
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/test/run_all_sshd_tests.sh
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@ run_test() {
 # separation is off and a high port is used, so no root is needed.
 run_strictmodes_negative_test() {
     printf "Host key trust-anchor negative test ... "
+    # WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS hands the mode to the platform, so the readable
+    # key loads and there is nothing to assert.
+    if wolfssh_has HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS; then
+        TOTAL=$((TOTAL+1))
+        SKIPPED=$((SKIPPED+1))
+        printf "SKIPPED (built with WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS)\n"
+        return
+    fi
     # A local copy of the host key, made group/world readable.
     cp ../../../keys/server-key.pem strictmodes_hostkey.pem
     chmod 644 strictmodes_hostkey.pem
@@ -341,6 +349,16 @@ EOF
         grep -q "Refusing to load" "$HK_WORK/log.txt" || hk_fail "FIFO host key was not refused"
     fi
 
+    # The mode and owner cases below are the ones WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS hands
+    # to the platform, so on such a build the key loads and the assertions would
+    # invert. Skip them there; the symlink and FIFO cases above still hold.
+    if wolfssh_has HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS; then
+        rm -rf "$HK_WORK"
+        printf "PASSED (mode and owner cases skipped, built with "
+        printf "WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS)\n"
+        return
+    fi
+
     # group/world-writable file must be refused
     cp "$HK_KEY" "$HK_WORK/ww.pem"; chmod 666 "$HK_WORK/ww.pem"
     hk_cfg "$HK_WORK/ww.pem"; hk_run
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/test/test_configuration.c b/apps/wolfsshd/test/test_configuration.c
index 326843663..c41cefcab 100644
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/test/test_configuration.c
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/test/test_configuration.c
@@ -4640,10 +4640,12 @@ static int smChmod(const char* path, mode_t mode)
 
 /* open 'path' through the secure gate and immediately close it, returning the
  * gate's verdict so a scenario can assert acceptance or rejection */
-static int smOpen(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid, int rejectReadable)
+static int smOpenEx(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid, int rejectReadable,
+        int relaxPerms)
 {
     WFILE* f = WBADFILE;
-    int ret = wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(path, ownerUid, rejectReadable, NULL, &f);
+    int ret = wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(path, ownerUid, rejectReadable,
+            relaxPerms, NULL, &f);
 
     if (ret == WS_SUCCESS && f != WBADFILE) {
         /* read-only handle; a close failure has no bearing on the verdict */
@@ -4652,6 +4654,11 @@ static int smOpen(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid, int rejectReadable)
     return ret;
 }
 
+static int smOpen(const char* path, WUID_T ownerUid, int rejectReadable)
+{
+    return smOpenEx(path, ownerUid, rejectReadable, 0 /* relaxPerms */);
+}
+
 static int test_OpenSecureFile(void)
 {
     int ret = WS_SUCCESS;
@@ -4817,6 +4824,43 @@ static int test_OpenSecureFile(void)
         ret = smExpect("NULL path rejected", smOpen(NULL, uid, 0), 0);
     }
 
+    /* relaxPerms: ownership, modes and directories are the platform's, but the
+     * structural checks still hold. Only wolfsshd's host key load sets this,
+     * and only where WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS is on. */
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
+        ret = smChmod(hostkey, 0666);
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: world-writable host key accepted",
+            smOpenEx(hostkey, uid, 1, 1), 1);
+    }
+    /* No uid != 0 guard: relaxPerms ignores ownerUid, so this holds as root. */
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: wrong owner accepted",
+            smOpenEx(hostkey, uid + 1, 1, 1), 1);
+    }
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
+        ret = smChmod(hostkey, 0600);
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
+        ret = smChmod(wopen, 0777);
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: world-writable ancestor accepted",
+            smOpenEx(wopenKeys, uid, 1, 1), 1);
+    }
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS)
+        ret = smChmod(wopen, 0700);
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: symlinked leaf still rejected",
+            smOpenEx(linkKeys, uid, 1, 1), 0);
+    }
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: directory target still rejected",
+            smOpenEx(ssh, uid, 1, 1), 0);
+    }
+    if (ret == WS_SUCCESS) {
+        ret = smExpect("relaxed: missing file still rejected",
+            smOpenEx("/tmp/wolfsshd_sm_dne_xyz", uid, 1, 1), 0);
+    }
+
     /* cleanup */
     unlink(linkKeys);
     unlink(keys);
diff --git a/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c b/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
index a294661af..d75df1916 100644
--- a/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
+++ b/apps/wolfsshd/wolfsshd.c
@@ -232,6 +232,18 @@ static void wolfSSHDLoggingCb(enum wolfSSH_LogLevel lvl, const char *const str)
 }
 
 
+/* QNX fixes the host key's owner and modes in the system image, so
+ * WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS hands that policy to the platform. Host key only, and
+ * only ownership, modes and directories. Kept outside the NO_FILESYSTEM guard
+ * below because SetupCTX() tests it and -Wundef is on. wolfssh-options.c repeats
+ * this guard so the tests can skip the negative cases; keep the two in step. */
+#if defined(WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS) && \
+    (defined(__QNX__) || defined(__QNXNTO__))
+    #define WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS 1
+#else
+    #define WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS 0
+#endif
+
 #ifndef NO_FILESYSTEM
 static void freeBufferFromFile(byte* buf, void* heap)
 {
@@ -260,11 +272,18 @@ static byte* getBufferFromFile(const char* fileName, word32* bufSz, void* heap,
     byte* buf = NULL;
     long fileSz;
     word32 readSz;
+    int relaxPerms = 0;
 
     WOLFSSH_UNUSED(heap);
 
     if (fileName == NULL) return NULL;
 
+#if WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS
+    if (loadClass == WOLFSSHD_LOAD_SECRET) {
+        relaxPerms = 1;
+    }
+#endif
+
     if (loadClass == WOLFSSHD_LOAD_NORMAL) {
         if (WFOPEN(NULL, &file, fileName, "rb") != 0)
             return NULL;
@@ -273,7 +292,7 @@ static byte* getBufferFromFile(const char* fileName, word32* bufSz, void* heap,
         /* Trust anchors always go through the secure gate, regardless of
          * StrictModes. The owner is the daemon's effective user (or root), and
          * the host private key (SECRET) is also refused if group/world
-         * readable. */
+         * readable, unless WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS. */
         if (wolfSSHD_OpenSecureFile(fileName,
 #ifndef _WIN32
                 geteuid(),
@@ -281,7 +300,7 @@ static byte* getBufferFromFile(const char* fileName, word32* bufSz, void* heap,
                 0,
 #endif
                 loadClass == WOLFSSHD_LOAD_SECRET /* rejectReadable */,
-                heap, &file) != WS_SUCCESS) {
+                relaxPerms, heap, &file) != WS_SUCCESS) {
             return NULL;
         }
     }
@@ -395,7 +414,13 @@ static int SetupCTX(WOLFSSHD_CONFIG* conf, WOLFSSH_CTX** ctx,
 
             /* The host private key is a secret trust anchor: refuse a symlink,
              * an unsafe owner or path, or a group/world readable/writable
-             * file. */
+             * file. WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS keeps only the symlink and
+             * regular-file checks. */
+        #if WOLFSSHD_HOSTKEY_RELAX_PERMS
+            wolfSSH_Log(WS_LOG_INFO, "[SSHD] Built with "
+                "WOLFSSH_NO_HOSTKEY_PERMS, host key ownership and permissions "
+                "are left to the platform");
+        #endif
             data = getBufferFromFile(hostKey, &dataSz, heap,
                 WOLFSSHD_LOAD_SECRET);
             if (data == NULL) {