diff --git a/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_input/default.py b/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_input/default.py
index deb98bf64..3384378b7 100644
--- a/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_input/default.py
+++ b/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_input/default.py
@@ -181,8 +181,7 @@ def _handle_task(self, task, actionables):
             if action in [rpc.COPY, rpc.LINK, rpc.MOVE]:
                 assert src.schema == 'file', 'staging src expected as file://'
 
-            # backend will take care of dir creation - but we do it manually
-            # for local ops (copy, link, move)
+            # implicitly create target dir if needed - but only for local ops
             if action != rpc.TRANSFER:
                 tgtdir = os.path.dirname(tgt.path)
                 if tgtdir != task_sandbox.path:
diff --git a/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_output/default.py b/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_output/default.py
index 3bd98285e..b10e70c7b 100644
--- a/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_output/default.py
+++ b/src/radical/pilot/agent/staging_output/default.py
@@ -317,6 +317,13 @@ def _handle_task_staging(self, task, actionables):
             if action in [rpc.COPY, rpc.LINK, rpc.MOVE]:
                 assert tgt.schema == 'file', 'staging tgt expected as file://'
 
+            # implicitly create target dir if needed - but only for local ops
+            if action != rpc.TRANSFER:
+                tgtdir = os.path.dirname(tgt.path)
+                if tgtdir != task_sandbox.path:
+                    self._log.debug("mkdir %s", tgtdir)
+                    ru.rec_makedir(tgtdir)
+
             if action == rpc.COPY:
                 try:
                     shutil.copytree(src.path, tgt.path)