diff --git a/lib/copy/copy.js b/lib/copy/copy.js
index 5514ab50..f270c1d7 100644
--- a/lib/copy/copy.js
+++ b/lib/copy/copy.js
@@ -34,22 +34,25 @@ function copy (src, dest, opts, cb) {
 
   // don't allow src and dest to be the same
   if (src === dest) return cb(new Error('Source and destination must not be the same.'))
-  return startCopy(src, dest, opts, cb)
-}
 
-function startCopy (src, dest, opts, cb) {
   if (opts.filter && !opts.filter(src, dest)) return cb()
+
   const destParent = path.dirname(dest)
   pathExists(destParent, (err, dirExists) => {
     if (err) return cb(err)
-    if (dirExists) return getStats(src, dest, opts, cb)
+    if (dirExists) return startCopy(src, dest, opts, cb)
     mkdirp(destParent, err => {
       if (err) return cb(err)
-      return getStats(src, dest, opts, cb)
+      return startCopy(src, dest, opts, cb)
     })
   })
 }
 
+function startCopy (src, dest, opts, cb) {
+  if (opts.filter && !opts.filter(src, dest)) return cb()
+  return getStats(src, dest, opts, cb)
+}
+
 function getStats (src, dest, opts, cb) {
   const stat = opts.dereference ? fs.stat : fs.lstat
   stat(src, (err, st) => {