diff --git a/libmuttonserver.go b/libmuttonserver.go
index b5815b8..b3d38e9 100644
--- a/libmuttonserver.go
+++ b/libmuttonserver.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func main() {
 		// stdin[0] is evaluated after fallthrough
 		// stdin[1] is expected to be the OLD incomplete target location with FSPath representing path separators - Always pass in UNIX format
 		// stdin[2] is expected to be the NEW incomplete target location with FSPath representing path separators - Always pass in UNIX format
-		_ = synccommon.RenameLocal(strings.ReplaceAll(stdin[1], global.FSPath, "/"), strings.ReplaceAll(stdin[2], global.FSPath, "/"), true)
+		_ = synccommon.RenameLocal(strings.ReplaceAll(stdin[1], global.FSPath, "/"), strings.ReplaceAll(stdin[2], global.FSPath, "/"))
 		fallthrough // fallthrough to add the old entry to the deletions directory
 	case "shear":
 		// shear an entry from the server and add it to the deletions directory
diff --git a/syncclient/oneOff.go b/syncclient/oneOff.go
index f636e8f..d1abeef 100644
--- a/syncclient/oneOff.go
+++ b/syncclient/oneOff.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ end:
 // It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the intended
 // interface for renaming (RenameLocal should only be used directly by the server binary).
 func RenameRemoteFromClient(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string) error {
-	err := synccommon.RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete, false) // move the target on the local system
+	err := synccommon.RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete) // move the target on the local system
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("unable to rename target locally: " + err.Error())
 	}
diff --git a/synccommon/common.go b/synccommon/common.go
index d15ff65..26498fb 100644
--- a/synccommon/common.go
+++ b/synccommon/common.go
@@ -89,18 +89,11 @@ func ShearLocal(targetLocationIncomplete, clientDeviceID string) (string, bool,
 
 // RenameLocal renames oldLocationIncomplete to newLocationIncomplete on the local system.
 // This function should only be used directly by the server binary.
-func RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string, verifyOldLocationExists bool) error {
+func RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string) error {
 	// get full paths for both locations
 	oldLocation := global.TargetLocationFormat(oldLocationIncomplete)
 	newLocation := global.TargetLocationFormat(newLocationIncomplete)
 
-	if verifyOldLocationExists {
-		isAccessible, _ := back.TargetIsFile(oldLocation, true) // error is ignored because dir/file status is irrelevant
-		if !isAccessible {
-			return errors.New("old target (" + oldLocation + ") does not exist")
-		}
-	}
-
 	// ensure newLocation does not exist
 	isAccessible, _ := back.TargetIsFile(newLocation, true) // error is ignored because dir/file status is irrelevant
 	if isAccessible {