diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 34cb40c7b9..d24174eefc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ git-annex (7.20190130) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
     filesystem, that left the repository in indirect mode.
   * Fix path separator bug on Windows that completely broke git-annex
     since version 7.20190122.
+  * On Windows, avoid using rsync for file-to-file copies, since rsync is not
+    always available there.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Wed, 30 Jan 2019 12:30:22 -0400
 
diff --git a/Remote/Git.hs b/Remote/Git.hs
index 7641dc50ab..6fc41d2166 100644
--- a/Remote/Git.hs
+++ b/Remote/Git.hs
@@ -709,7 +709,9 @@ onLocalFast repo r a = onLocal repo r $ Annex.BranchState.disableUpdate >> a
 rsyncOrCopyFile :: [CommandParam] -> FilePath -> FilePath -> MeterUpdate -> Annex Bool
 rsyncOrCopyFile rsyncparams src dest p =
 #ifdef mingw32_HOST_OS
-	dorsync
+	-- rsync is only available on Windows in some inatallation methods,
+	-- and is not strictly needed here, so don't use it.
+	docopy
   where
 #else
 	ifM (sameDeviceIds src dest) (docopy, dorsync)