diff --git a/src/XrdCl/XrdClThirdPartyCopyJob.cc b/src/XrdCl/XrdClThirdPartyCopyJob.cc
index b916362aa96..2f69161023e 100644
--- a/src/XrdCl/XrdClThirdPartyCopyJob.cc
+++ b/src/XrdCl/XrdClThirdPartyCopyJob.cc
@@ -290,6 +290,12 @@ namespace XrdCl
     const URL &source = GetSource();
     const URL &target = GetTarget();
 
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // We can only do a TPC if both source and destination are remote files
+    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    if( source.IsLocalFile() || target.IsLocalFile() )
+      return XRootDStatus( stError, errNotSupported );
+
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Check the initial settings
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------