diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/recovery.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/recovery.rs
index 136ba51ce..7f5f33e34 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/recovery.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/recovery.rs
@@ -316,6 +316,20 @@ impl FolderStore {
         }
     }
 
+    /// The outcome `r` of removing file `f`. A file that is not there counts as removed, unless a
+    /// file is on the way to it: Windows reports that as a missing file, and it is named as for a
+    /// listing.
+    pub(crate) fn removed(f: &std::path::Path, r: std::io::Result<()>) -> std::result::Result<(), String> {
+        match r {
+            Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => match f.parent().and_then(Self::in_the_way) {
+                Some((p, true)) => Err(format!("{} is not a folder: {e}", p.display())),
+                _ => Ok(()),
+            },
+            Err(e) => Err(Self::file_error(f, &e)),
+            Ok(()) => Ok(()),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Refuse area folder `dir` unless it is a folder itself, not a link to one, and (on Unix)
     /// belongs to this account. Listing areas leaves links out, so a name another account had
     /// linked to a folder of its own in a shared recovery folder looked free, and claiming it
@@ -453,10 +467,7 @@ impl RecoveryStore for FolderStore {
     }
     fn remove(&self, name: &str) -> std::result::Result<(), String> {
         let f = self.file(name)?;
-        match std::fs::remove_file(&f) {
-            Err(e) if e.kind() != std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => Err(Self::file_error(&f, &e)),
-            _ => Ok(()),
-        }
+        Self::removed(&f, std::fs::remove_file(&f))
     }
     fn location(&self) -> String {
         self.0.to_string_lossy().into_owned()
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/recovery.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/recovery.rs
index 2b991e332..0ba51f20a 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/recovery.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/recovery.rs
@@ -514,6 +514,24 @@ fn folder_errors_name_a_file_in_the_way() {
     assert!(wrong.is_empty(), "{wrong:?}");
 }
 
+/// A removal that finds the copy missing because a file is on the way to it (how Windows reports a
+/// file in the way) names that file. A copy that is just not there still counts as removed.
+#[test]
+fn a_removal_reported_missing_names_a_file_in_the_way() {
+    let base = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("vc-recovery-remove-in-way-{}", std::process::id()));
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&base);
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&base).unwrap();
+    let file = base.join("file");
+    std::fs::write(&file, b"").unwrap();
+    let missing = || std::io::Error::from(std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound);
+    let behind = FolderStore::removed(&file.join("recovery").join("1-1").join("Untitled-1-1.vectorcraft"), Err(missing()));
+    let gone = FolderStore::removed(&base.join("recovery").join("1-1").join("Untitled-1-1.vectorcraft"), Err(missing()));
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&base);
+    let named = format!("{} is not a folder: ", file.display());
+    assert!(behind.as_ref().is_err_and(|e| e.starts_with(&named)), "{behind:?}");
+    assert_eq!(gone, Ok(()));
+}
+
 /// A folder of the store's path that is missing and can't be made: a write or a lock names it as
 /// the folder it couldn't make, and a read names it as missing. An area folder that can't be made
 /// in a store folder that is there is named the same way.