diff --git a/datamover/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/datamover/filesystem/remote/rsync/RsyncCopier.java b/datamover/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/datamover/filesystem/remote/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
index 7a658f30588f2777fb473950db00f704c8107200..12212536d8d99ee88e4d58a59b903ced71462ad3 100644
--- a/datamover/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/datamover/filesystem/remote/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
+++ b/datamover/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/datamover/filesystem/remote/rsync/RsyncCopier.java
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ public class RsyncCopier implements IPathCopier
 
     public boolean existsRemotely(File destinationDirectory, String destinationHost)
     {
-        assert destinationDirectory != null && destinationDirectory.isDirectory();
+        assert destinationDirectory != null;
         assert destinationHost != null;
 
         final String destination = buildPath(destinationHost, destinationDirectory, true);