diff --git a/hgext/convert/subversion.py b/hgext/convert/subversion.py
--- a/hgext/convert/subversion.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/subversion.py
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ class svn_sink(converter_sink, commandli
             fp = open(hook, 'w')
             fp.write(pre_revprop_change)
             fp.close()
-            util.set_flags(hook, False, True)
+            util.setflags(hook, False, True)
 
         output = self.run0('info')
         self.uuid = self.uuid_re.search(output).group(1).strip()
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ class svn_sink(converter_sink, commandli
                 # systematically is just as expensive and much simpler.
                 was_exec = 'x' not in flags
 
-            util.set_flags(self.wjoin(filename), False, 'x' in flags)
+            util.setflags(self.wjoin(filename), False, 'x' in flags)
             if was_exec:
                 if 'x' not in flags:
                     self.delexec.append(filename)
diff --git a/hgext/extdiff.py b/hgext/extdiff.py
--- a/hgext/extdiff.py
+++ b/hgext/extdiff.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def snapshot(ui, repo, files, node, tmpr
         else:
             wopener.write(wfn, data)
             if 'x' in fctx.flags():
-                util.set_flags(dest, False, True)
+                util.setflags(dest, False, True)
         if node is None:
             fns_and_mtime.append((dest, repo.wjoin(fn),
                                   os.lstat(dest).st_mtime))
diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ def updatedir(ui, repo, patches, similar
             if gp.op == 'ADD' and not os.path.lexists(dst):
                 flags = (isexec and 'x' or '') + (islink and 'l' or '')
                 repo.wwrite(gp.path, '', flags)
-            util.set_flags(dst, islink, isexec)
+            util.setflags(dst, islink, isexec)
     addremove(repo, cfiles, similarity=similarity)
     files = patches.keys()
     files.extend([r for r in removes if r not in files])
diff --git a/mercurial/localrepo.py b/mercurial/localrepo.py
--- a/mercurial/localrepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/localrepo.py
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ class localrepository(repo.repository):
         else:
             self.wopener.write(filename, data)
             if 'x' in flags:
-                util.set_flags(self.wjoin(filename), False, True)
+                util.setflags(self.wjoin(filename), False, True)
 
     def wwritedata(self, filename, data):
         return self._filter(self._decodefilterpats, filename, data)
diff --git a/mercurial/merge.py b/mercurial/merge.py
--- a/mercurial/merge.py
+++ b/mercurial/merge.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ def applyupdates(repo, action, wctx, mct
                     updated += 1
                 else:
                     merged += 1
-            util.set_flags(repo.wjoin(fd), 'l' in flags, 'x' in flags)
+            util.setflags(repo.wjoin(fd), 'l' in flags, 'x' in flags)
             if (move and repo.dirstate.normalize(fd) != f
                 and os.path.lexists(repo.wjoin(f))):
                 repo.ui.debug("removing %s\n" % f)
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ def applyupdates(repo, action, wctx, mct
                 repo.ui.warn(" %s\n" % nf)
         elif m == "e": # exec
             flags = a[2]
-            util.set_flags(repo.wjoin(f), 'l' in flags, 'x' in flags)
+            util.setflags(repo.wjoin(f), 'l' in flags, 'x' in flags)
     ms.commit()
     u.progress(_('updating'), None, total=numupdates, unit=_('files'))
 
diff --git a/mercurial/posix.py b/mercurial/posix.py
--- a/mercurial/posix.py
+++ b/mercurial/posix.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def is_exec(f):
     """check whether a file is executable"""
     return (os.lstat(f).st_mode & 0100 != 0)
 
-def set_flags(f, l, x):
+def setflags(f, l, x):
     s = os.lstat(f).st_mode
     if l:
         if not stat.S_ISLNK(s):
diff --git a/mercurial/windows.py b/mercurial/windows.py
--- a/mercurial/windows.py
+++ b/mercurial/windows.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def sshargs(sshcmd, host, user, port):
     args = user and ("%s@%s" % (user, host)) or host
     return port and ("%s %s %s" % (args, pflag, port)) or args
 
-def set_flags(f, l, x):
+def setflags(f, l, x):
     pass
 
 def checkexec(path):