diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
index a08b04b31bb8c..07cb929bae067 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/README.md
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ new lambda.Function(this, 'Function', {
       command: [
         'bash', '-c', `
         pip install -r requirements.txt -t /asset-output &&
-        rsync -r . /asset-output
+        cp -au . /asset-output
         `,
       ],
     },
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/test/integ.bundling.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/test/integ.bundling.ts
index 200ca72f204b6..c59d1eb85dcc9 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/test/integ.bundling.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-lambda/test/integ.bundling.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class TestStack extends Stack {
           image: lambda.Runtime.PYTHON_3_6.bundlingDockerImage,
           command: [
             'bash', '-c', [
-              'rsync -r . /asset-output',
+              'cp -au . /asset-output',
               'cd /asset-output',
               'pip install -r requirements.txt -t .',
             ].join(' && '),