diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.importexport/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/synchronize/filesystem/subscriber/FileSystemSubscriber.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.importexport/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/synchronize/filesystem/subscriber/FileSystemSubscriber.java
index 5f275ac7ff8..bbc3e9600cb 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.importexport/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/synchronize/filesystem/subscriber/FileSystemSubscriber.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.importexport/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/synchronize/filesystem/subscriber/FileSystemSubscriber.java
@@ -175,7 +175,15 @@ public class FileSystemSubscriber extends ThreeWaySubscriber {
 					long storedModificationTime = properties.getRemoteFileTimeStamp();
 				
 					if (remoteModificationTime > storedModificationTime){
-						base = new LocalResourceVariant(local);
+						// what if it's changed locally too?
+						long localDownloadTimeStamp = properties.getDownloadFileTimeStamp();
+						long localTimeStamp = local.getLocalTimeStamp();
+						if (localTimeStamp > localDownloadTimeStamp){
+							base = null; // conflict for both
+						}
+						else {
+							base = new LocalResourceVariant(local);
+						}
 					}		
 				}
 			}