diff --git a/core/src/build-staging/rsync.ts b/core/src/build-staging/rsync.ts
index e933a88e67..3cf485b81a 100644
--- a/core/src/build-staging/rsync.ts
+++ b/core/src/build-staging/rsync.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ export class BuildDirRsync extends BuildStaging {
     await ensureDir(targetDir)
     await ensureDir(tmpDir)
 
+    // this is so that the cygwin-based rsync client can deal with the paths
+    sourcePath = normalizeLocalRsyncPath(sourcePath)
+    targetPath = normalizeLocalRsyncPath(targetPath)
+
     if (sourceShouldBeDirectory) {
       sourcePath += "/"
     }
@@ -112,10 +116,6 @@ export class BuildDirRsync extends BuildStaging {
       targetPath += "/"
     }
 
-    // this is so that the cygwin-based rsync client can deal with the paths
-    sourcePath = normalizeLocalRsyncPath(sourcePath)
-    targetPath = normalizeLocalRsyncPath(targetPath)
-
     // the correct way to copy all contents of a folder is using a trailing slash and not a wildcard
     sourcePath = stripWildcard(sourcePath)
     targetPath = stripWildcard(targetPath)