diff --git a/fs/operations/operations.go b/fs/operations/operations.go
index a02aead24..081ceb7a7 100644
--- a/fs/operations/operations.go
+++ b/fs/operations/operations.go
@@ -1952,11 +1952,17 @@ func moveOrCopyFile(ctx context.Context, fdst fs.Fs, fsrc fs.Fs, dstFileName str
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	NoNeedTransfer, err := CompareOrCopyDest(ctx, fdst, dstObj, srcObj, copyDestDir, backupDir)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	needTransfer := NeedTransfer(ctx, dstObj, srcObj)
+	if needTransfer {
+		NoNeedTransfer, err := CompareOrCopyDest(ctx, fdst, dstObj, srcObj, copyDestDir, backupDir)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if NoNeedTransfer {
+			needTransfer = false
+		}
 	}
-	if !NoNeedTransfer && NeedTransfer(ctx, dstObj, srcObj) {
+	if needTransfer {
 		// If destination already exists, then we must move it into --backup-dir if required
 		if dstObj != nil && backupDir != nil {
 			err = MoveBackupDir(ctx, backupDir, dstObj)
diff --git a/fs/sync/sync.go b/fs/sync/sync.go
index 052b867e8..2c671cf72 100644
--- a/fs/sync/sync.go
+++ b/fs/sync/sync.go
@@ -331,11 +331,17 @@ func (s *syncCopyMove) pairChecker(in *pipe, out *pipe, fraction int, wg *sync.W
 		tr := accounting.Stats(s.ctx).NewCheckingTransfer(src)
 		// Check to see if can store this
 		if src.Storable() {
-			NoNeedTransfer, err := operations.CompareOrCopyDest(s.ctx, s.fdst, pair.Dst, pair.Src, s.compareCopyDest, s.backupDir)
-			if err != nil {
-				s.processError(err)
+			needTransfer := operations.NeedTransfer(s.ctx, pair.Dst, pair.Src)
+			if needTransfer {
+				NoNeedTransfer, err := operations.CompareOrCopyDest(s.ctx, s.fdst, pair.Dst, pair.Src, s.compareCopyDest, s.backupDir)
+				if err != nil {
+					s.processError(err)
+				}
+				if NoNeedTransfer {
+					needTransfer = false
+				}
 			}
-			if !NoNeedTransfer && operations.NeedTransfer(s.ctx, pair.Dst, pair.Src) {
+			if needTransfer {
 				// If files are treated as immutable, fail if destination exists and does not match
 				if s.ci.Immutable && pair.Dst != nil {
 					err := fs.CountError(fserrors.NoRetryError(fs.ErrorImmutableModified))