diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/ByteStreamHandler.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/ByteStreamHandler.java
index 2f8028a8d7d..7e0b351afbc 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/ByteStreamHandler.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.dstore.core/src/org/eclipse/dstore/core/model/ByteStreamHandler.java
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ public class ByteStreamHandler implements IByteStreamHandler
 						String n = file.getName();			
 						File backupFile = new File(parent, '.' + n + '~');
 						_dataStore.trace("Backing up as "+backupFile.getAbsolutePath()); //$NON-NLS-1$
-						file.renameTo(backupFile);
+						if(!file.renameTo(backupFile) && backupFile.exists()) {
+							backupFile.delete();
+							file.renameTo(backupFile);
+						}
 					}
 				}