diff --git a/Annex/Locations.hs b/Annex/Locations.hs
index c52ed8bb2f..6f6203cfa2 100644
--- a/Annex/Locations.hs
+++ b/Annex/Locations.hs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ module Annex.Locations (
 	annexLocationsBare,
 	annexLocationsNonBare,
 	annexLocation,
+	exportAnnexObjectLocation,
 	gitAnnexDir,
 	gitAnnexObjectDir,
 	gitAnnexTmpOtherDir,
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ import Types.UUID
 import Types.GitConfig
 import Types.Difference
 import Types.BranchState
+import Types.Export
 import qualified Git
 import qualified Git.Types as Git
 import Git.FilePath
@@ -170,6 +172,13 @@ annexLocationsBare config key =
 annexLocation :: GitConfig -> Key -> (HashLevels -> Hasher) -> RawFilePath
 annexLocation config key hasher = objectDir P.</> keyPath key (hasher $ objectHashLevels config)
 
+{- For exportree remotes with annexobjects=true, objects are stored
+ - in this location as well as in the exported tree. -}
+exportAnnexObjectLocation :: GitConfig -> Key -> ExportLocation
+exportAnnexObjectLocation gc k =
+	mkExportLocation $
+		".git" P.</> annexLocation gc k hashDirLower
+
 {- Number of subdirectories from the gitAnnexObjectDir
  - to the gitAnnexLocation. -}
 gitAnnexLocationDepth :: GitConfig -> Int
diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index ab7e1c49e2..d6514d92ae 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -152,16 +152,15 @@ changeExport r db (ExportFiltered new) = do
 		[oldtreesha] -> do
 			diffmap <- mkDiffMap oldtreesha new db
 			let seekdiffmap a = mapM_ a (M.toList diffmap)
-			-- Rename old files to temp, or delete.
-			let deleteoldf = \ek oldf -> commandAction $
-				startUnexport' r db oldf ek
+			let disposeoldf = \ek oldf -> commandAction $
+				startDispose r db oldf ek
 			seekdiffmap $ \case
 				(ek, (oldf:oldfs, _newf:_)) -> do
 					commandAction $
 						startMoveToTempName r db oldf ek
-					forM_ oldfs (deleteoldf ek)
+					forM_ oldfs (disposeoldf ek)
 				(ek, (oldfs, [])) ->
-					forM_ oldfs (deleteoldf ek)
+					forM_ oldfs (disposeoldf ek)
 				(_ek, ([], _)) -> noop
 			waitForAllRunningCommandActions
 			-- Rename from temp to new files.
@@ -350,16 +349,6 @@ startUnexport r db f shas = do
 	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f'
 	si = SeekInput []
 
-startUnexport' :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> TopFilePath -> Key -> CommandStart
-startUnexport' r db f ek =
-	starting ("unexport " ++ name r) ai si $
-		performUnexport r db [ek] loc
-  where
-	loc = mkExportLocation f'
-	f' = getTopFilePath f
-	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f'
-	si = SeekInput []
-
 -- Unlike a usual drop from a repository, this does not check that
 -- numcopies is satisfied before removing the content. Typically an export
 -- remote is untrusted, so would not count as a copy anyway.
@@ -401,6 +390,23 @@ cleanupUnexport r db eks loc = do
 	
 	removeEmptyDirectories r db loc eks
 
+-- Dispose of an old exported file by either unexporting it, or by moving
+-- it to the annexobjects location.
+startDispose :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> TopFilePath -> Key -> CommandStart
+startDispose r db f ek =
+	starting ("unexport " ++ name r) ai si $
+		if annexObjects (Remote.config r) && not (isGitShaKey ek)
+			then do
+				gc <- Annex.getGitConfig
+				performRename r db ek loc
+					(exportAnnexObjectLocation gc ek)
+			else performUnexport r db [ek] loc
+  where
+	loc = mkExportLocation f'
+	f' = getTopFilePath f
+	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f'
+	si = SeekInput []
+
 startRecoverIncomplete :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> Git.Sha -> TopFilePath -> CommandStart
 startRecoverIncomplete r db sha oldf
 	| sha `elem` nullShas = stop
diff --git a/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs b/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
index 09df4c58b4..bbe3ceec50 100644
--- a/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
+++ b/Remote/Helper/ExportImport.hs
@@ -408,10 +408,7 @@ adjustExportImport' isexport isimport annexobjects r rs gc = do
 			k loc 
 			=<< getkeycids ciddbv k
 
-	-- For annexobjects=true, objects are stored in the remote
-	-- in a location under .git/objects/
-	annexobjectlocation k = mkExportLocation $
-		".git" P.</> annexLocation gc k hashDirLower
+	annexobjectlocation k = exportAnnexObjectLocation gc k
 
 	checkpresentannexobject k = 
 		checkPresentExport (exportActions r) k (annexobjectlocation k)
diff --git a/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn b/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
index 523f1a1661..68ef14b9e8 100644
--- a/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
+++ b/doc/todo/git-annex_proxies.mdwn
@@ -33,12 +33,20 @@ Planned schedule of work:
 * Working on `exportreeplus` branch which is groundwork for proxying to
   exporttree=yes special remotes.
 
-* `git-annex export` when unexporting a deleted file from the tree should
-  rename it to the annexobjects location. This would avoid needing to
-  re-upload it again in the case where it's preferred content of the
-  remote. Currently eg, a sync will unexport the file and then re-upload
-  it. If it's not preferred content, sync will drop it from the
-  annexobjects location.
+* `git-annex export` when exporting a file should rename it from the
+  annexobjects location when it's present there. This will avoid redundant
+  uploads.
+
+  An example case where this is important: Proxying to a exporttree remote,
+  a file is uploaded to it but is not yet in an exported tree. When the
+  exported tree is pushed, the remote needs to be updated by exporting to
+  it. In this case, the proxy doesn't have a copy of the file, so it would
+  need to download it from annexobjects before uploading it to the final
+  location. With this optimisation, it can just rename it.
+
+  However: If a key is used twice in an exported tree, it seems a proxy
+  will need to download and reupload anyway. Unless a copy operation is
+  added to exporttree remotes..
 
 ## items deferred until later for p2p protocol over http