diff --git a/files/file b/files/file
index b1c57ff4d97..710a9224c13 100644
--- a/files/file
+++ b/files/file
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@ def main():
                         os.symlink(src, tmppath)
                     os.rename(tmppath, path)
                 except OSError, e:
-                    os.unlink(tmppath)
+                    if os.path.exists(tmppath):
+                        os.unlink(tmppath)
                     module.fail_json(path=path, msg='Error while replacing: %s' % str(e))
             try:
                 if state == 'hard':