diff --git a/src/aiida/transports/plugins/ssh.py b/src/aiida/transports/plugins/ssh.py
index b15850d75c..773c1f51fc 100644
--- a/src/aiida/transports/plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/src/aiida/transports/plugins/ssh.py
@@ -1167,9 +1167,6 @@ def copy(self, remotesource, remotedestination, dereference=False, recursive=Tru
                 self._exec_cp(cp_exe, cp_flags, file, remotedestination)
 
         else:
-            if not self.path_exists(remotesource):
-                raise FileNotFoundError('Source not found')
-
             self._exec_cp(cp_exe, cp_flags, remotesource, remotedestination)
 
     def _exec_cp(self, cp_exe, cp_flags, src, dst):
@@ -1188,6 +1185,9 @@ def _exec_cp(self, cp_exe, cp_flags, src, dst):
                     retval, stdout, stderr, command
                 )
             )
+            if 'No such file or directory' in str(stderr):
+                raise FileNotFoundError(f'Error while executing cp: {stderr}')
+
             raise OSError(
                 'Error while executing cp. Exit code: {}, ' "stdout: '{}', stderr: '{}', " "command: '{}'".format(
                     retval, stdout, stderr, command