diff --git a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
index a81a87b3d..3b0e60478 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir.go
@@ -236,6 +236,20 @@ func processDeleteEvent(
 	glog.V(2).Infof("delete: %+v", resp)
 	dest := toRemoteStorageLocation(util.FullPath(mountedDir), util.NewFullPath(resp.Directory, message.OldEntry.Name), remoteStorageMountLocation)
 	if !message.OldEntry.IsDirectory {
+		// The object at the key may have been replaced since the delete: a
+		// rename copies another entry's content onto it, a rewrite uploads
+		// over it, and a copy can land before its entry is visible. Delete
+		// only an object the event's stamp still describes.
+		if live, statErr := client.StatFile(dest); statErr == nil {
+			if oldRemote := message.OldEntry.GetRemoteEntry(); oldRemote == nil ||
+				!describes(oldRemote, live) ||
+				oldRemote.RemoteETag != "" && live.RemoteETag == "" {
+				glog.V(0).Infof("keep %s: the object changed since the delete", remote_storage.FormatLocation(dest))
+				return nil
+			}
+		} else if !errors.Is(statErr, remote_storage.ErrRemoteObjectNotFound) {
+			return statErr
+		}
 		current, err := currentEntry(filerSource, resp.Directory, message.OldEntry.Name)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -244,23 +258,6 @@ func processDeleteEvent(
 			glog.V(0).Infof("keep %s: a remote-only entry has taken its path since", remote_storage.FormatLocation(dest))
 			return nil
 		}
-		// The object at the key may have been replaced since the delete: a
-		// rename copies another entry's content onto it, a rewrite uploads
-		// over it. Match the recorded etag before deleting so only the
-		// object the delete meant goes away. That holds with no entry at the
-		// path too: a rename copies before its new entry becomes visible. An
-		// upload that finished after the delete is kept the same way, which
-		// leaks that object rather than risking the only copy of a rename.
-		if oldETag := message.OldEntry.GetRemoteEntry().GetRemoteETag(); oldETag != "" {
-			if live, err := client.StatFile(dest); err == nil {
-				if live.RemoteETag != "" && live.RemoteETag != oldETag {
-					glog.V(0).Infof("keep %s: the object changed since the delete", remote_storage.FormatLocation(dest))
-					return nil
-				}
-			} else if !errors.Is(err, remote_storage.ErrRemoteObjectNotFound) {
-				return err
-			}
-		}
 	}
 	if message.OldEntry.IsDirectory {
 		glog.V(0).Infof("rmdir  %s", remote_storage.FormatLocation(dest))
diff --git a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir_test.go b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir_test.go
index ae9d7f7e5..374963c37 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir_test.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync_dir_test.go
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ func TestDeleteEventAbsentRemoteObjectIsSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("an unchanged object still goes", func(t *testing.T) {
 		deleted := proto.Clone(resp).(*filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse)
-		deleted.EventNotification.OldEntry.RemoteEntry = &filer_pb.RemoteEntry{RemoteETag: `"orig"`, RemoteSize: 10}
+		deleted.EventNotification.OldEntry.RemoteEntry = &filer_pb.RemoteEntry{RemoteETag: `"orig"`, RemoteSize: 3}
 		remote := &recordingRemote{objects: map[string][]byte{"/b/vol/state.db.tmp": []byte("old")}, statETag: `"orig"`}
 		if err := processDeleteEvent(&stubFilerClient{}, remote, mountedDir, mountLoc, deleted); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("err = %v", err)
@@ -1079,6 +1079,32 @@ func TestDeleteEventAbsentRemoteObjectIsSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("a copy that landed before its entry is kept", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// the deleted entry was never replicated, so its event records no
+		// stamp to match the fresh rename copy waiting for its filer entry
+		remote := &recordingRemote{objects: map[string][]byte{"/b/vol/state.db.tmp": []byte("copied")}, statETag: `"copy"`}
+		if err := processDeleteEvent(&stubFilerClient{}, remote, mountedDir, mountLoc, resp); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err = %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(remote.deletes) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("deletes = %+v, want none", remote.deletes)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("an unverifiable object is kept", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// the delete recorded an etag the live stat does not report; the
+		// object cannot be confirmed as the one the delete meant
+		deleted := proto.Clone(resp).(*filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse)
+		deleted.EventNotification.OldEntry.RemoteEntry = &filer_pb.RemoteEntry{RemoteETag: `"orig"`, RemoteSize: 3}
+		remote := &recordingRemote{objects: map[string][]byte{"/b/vol/state.db.tmp": []byte("old")}}
+		if err := processDeleteEvent(&stubFilerClient{}, remote, mountedDir, mountLoc, deleted); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err = %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(remote.deletes) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("deletes = %+v, want none", remote.deletes)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("an entry with local data at the path does not stop the delete", func(t *testing.T) {
 		remote := &recordingRemote{}
 		filerClient := &stubFilerClient{entry: &filer_pb.Entry{