diff --git a/vfs/read_write.go b/vfs/read_write.go
index 03d990c3a..b16eb663f 100644
--- a/vfs/read_write.go
+++ b/vfs/read_write.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func newRWFileHandle(d *Dir, f *File, flags int) (fh *RWFileHandle, err error) {
 	// get an item to represent this from the cache
 	item := d.vfs.cache.Item(f.Path())
 
-	exists := f.exists() || item.Exists()
+	exists := f.exists() || (item.Exists() && !item.WrittenBack())
 
 	// if O_CREATE and O_EXCL are set and if path already exists, then return EEXIST
 	if flags&(os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL) == os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL && exists {
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/item.go b/vfs/vfscache/item.go
index 9163e8ce9..158e583f2 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/item.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/item.go
@@ -808,6 +808,13 @@ func (item *Item) _checkObject(o fs.Object) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// WrittenBack checks to see if the item has been written back or not
+func (item *Item) WrittenBack() bool {
+	item.mu.Lock()
+	defer item.mu.Unlock()
+	return item.info.Fingerprint != ""
+}
+
 // remove the cached file
 //
 // call with lock held