diff --git a/fs/operations/operations.go b/fs/operations/operations.go
index 53d846525..eeba711fb 100644
--- a/fs/operations/operations.go
+++ b/fs/operations/operations.go
@@ -1188,6 +1188,57 @@ func Delete(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// RemoveExisting removes an existing file in a safe way so that it
+// can be restored if the operation fails.
+//
+// This first detects if there is an existing file and renames it to a
+// temporary name if there is.
+//
+// The returned cleanup function should be called on a defer statement
+// with a pointer to the error returned. It will revert the changes if
+// there is an error or delete the existing file if not.
+func RemoveExisting(ctx context.Context, f fs.Fs, remote string, operation string) (cleanup func(*error), err error) {
+	existingObj, err := f.NewObject(ctx, remote)
+	if err != nil {
+		return func(*error) {}, nil
+	}
+	doMove := f.Features().Move
+	if doMove == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: destination file exists already and can't rename", operation)
+	}
+
+	// Avoid making the leaf name longer if it's already lengthy to avoid
+	// trouble with file name length limits.
+	suffix := "." + random.String(8)
+	var remoteSaved string
+	if len(path.Base(remote)) > 100 {
+		remoteSaved = TruncateString(remote, len(remote)-len(suffix)) + suffix
+	} else {
+		remoteSaved = remote + suffix
+	}
+
+	fs.Debugf(existingObj, "%s: renaming existing object to %q before starting", operation, remoteSaved)
+	existingObj, err = doMove(ctx, existingObj, remoteSaved)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: failed to rename existing file: %w", operation, err)
+	}
+	return func(perr *error) {
+		if *perr == nil {
+			fs.Debugf(existingObj, "%s: removing renamed existing file after operation", operation)
+			err := existingObj.Remove(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				*perr = fmt.Errorf("%s: failed to remove renamed existing file: %w", operation, err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			fs.Debugf(existingObj, "%s: renaming existing back after failed operation", operation)
+			_, renameErr := doMove(ctx, existingObj, remote)
+			if renameErr != nil {
+				fs.Errorf(existingObj, "%s: failed to restore existing file after failed operation: %v", operation, renameErr)
+			}
+		}
+	}, nil
+}
+
 // listToChan will transfer all objects in the listing to the output
 //
 // If an error occurs, the error will be logged, and it will close the
diff --git a/fs/operations/operations_test.go b/fs/operations/operations_test.go
index 96ce5704a..2a5c3cb6c 100644
--- a/fs/operations/operations_test.go
+++ b/fs/operations/operations_test.go
@@ -1884,3 +1884,76 @@ func TestDirsEqual(t *testing.T) {
 	equal = operations.DirsEqual(ctx, src, dst, opt)
 	assert.True(t, equal)
 }
+
+func TestRemoveExisting(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	r := fstest.NewRun(t)
+	if r.Fremote.Features().Move == nil {
+		t.Skip("Skipping as remote can't Move")
+	}
+
+	file1 := r.WriteObject(ctx, "sub dir/test remove existing", "hello world", t1)
+	file2 := r.WriteObject(ctx, "sub dir/test remove existing with long name 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890", "hello long name world", t1)
+
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file1, file2)
+
+	var returnedError error
+
+	// Check not found first
+	cleanup, err := operations.RemoveExisting(ctx, r.Fremote, "not found", "TEST")
+	assert.Equal(t, err, nil)
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file1, file2)
+	cleanup(&returnedError)
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file1, file2)
+
+	// Remove file1
+	cleanup, err = operations.RemoveExisting(ctx, r.Fremote, file1.Path, "TEST")
+	assert.Equal(t, err, nil)
+	//r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file1, file2)
+
+	// Check file1 with temporary name exists
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	err = operations.List(ctx, r.Fremote, &buf)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	res := buf.String()
+	assert.NotContains(t, res, "       11 "+file1.Path+"\n")
+	assert.Contains(t, res, "       11 "+file1.Path+".")
+	assert.Contains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path+"\n")
+
+	cleanup(&returnedError)
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file2)
+
+	// Remove file2 with an error
+	cleanup, err = operations.RemoveExisting(ctx, r.Fremote, file2.Path, "TEST")
+	assert.Equal(t, err, nil)
+
+	// Check file2 with truncated temporary name exists
+	buf.Reset()
+	err = operations.List(ctx, r.Fremote, &buf)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	res = buf.String()
+	assert.NotContains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path+"\n")
+	assert.NotContains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path+".")
+	assert.Contains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path[:100])
+
+	returnedError = errors.New("BOOM")
+	cleanup(&returnedError)
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t, file2)
+
+	// Remove file2
+	cleanup, err = operations.RemoveExisting(ctx, r.Fremote, file2.Path, "TEST")
+	assert.Equal(t, err, nil)
+
+	// Check file2 with truncated temporary name exists
+	buf.Reset()
+	err = operations.List(ctx, r.Fremote, &buf)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	res = buf.String()
+	assert.NotContains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path+"\n")
+	assert.NotContains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path+".")
+	assert.Contains(t, res, "       21 "+file2.Path[:100])
+
+	returnedError = nil
+	cleanup(&returnedError)
+	r.CheckRemoteItems(t)
+}