diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/filesystem/rsync/RsyncCopier.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/filesystem/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
index e30b54fd0f1dc06f3becfc3045a0515d82dd1553..4987d21bad1019bd987181b709f48a8f844d45f0 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/filesystem/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/filesystem/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ public final class RsyncCopier implements IPathCopier, IDirectoryImmutableCopier
         } else
         {
             final List<String> standardParameters =
-                    Arrays.asList("--archive", "--delete", "--inplace");
+                    Arrays.asList("--archive", "--delete-before", "--inplace");
 
             commandLineList.addAll(standardParameters);
             if (isOverwriteMode(remoteRsyncOrNull))