diff --git a/pkg/runtime/depot.go b/pkg/runtime/depot.go
index 28a2c83539..078b2277f9 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/depot.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/depot.go
@@ -332,6 +332,9 @@ func (d *depot) getSharedFilesToRedeploy(id strfmt.UUID, deploy deployment, path
 	// For each file deployed by this artifact, find another artifact (if any) that deploys its own copy.
 	for _, relativeDeployedFile := range deploy.Files {
 		deployedFile := filepath.Join(path, relativeDeployedFile)
+		if fileutils.TargetExists(deployedFile) {
+			continue // file still exists; no need to re-link or re-copy
+		}
 		for artifactId, artifactDeployments := range d.config.Deployments {
 			if artifactId == id {
 				continue