diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 6395807..9b7ad36 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ def update(opts, conf, path):
     src_clean = src
     if os.path.isdir(src):
         src_clean = os.path.join(src, '..')
-    if os.path.samefile(src_clean, path):
+    if samefile(src_clean, path):
         # symlink loop
         Log.err('dotfile points to itself: {}'.format(path))
         return False
diff --git a/dotdrop/installer.py b/dotdrop/installer.py
index d8fb7b2..1fe3f42 100644
--- a/dotdrop/installer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/installer.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class Installer:
         """install the src to dst using a template"""
         src = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(src))
         dst = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(dst))
-        if os.path.samefile(src, dst):
+        if utils.samefile(src, dst):
             # symlink loop
             self.log.err('dotfile points to itself: {}'.format(dst))
             return []
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Installer:
     def _handle_file(self, templater, profile, src, dst):
         """install src to dst when is a file"""
         self.log.dbg('generate template for {}'.format(src))
-        if os.path.samefile(src, dst):
+        if utils.samefile(src, dst):
             # symlink loop
             self.log.err('dotfile points to itself: {}'.format(dst))
             return []
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index b862f0b..54f6415 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -52,3 +52,12 @@ def remove(path):
         rmtree(path)
     else:
         raise OSError("Unsupported file type for deletion: {}".format(path))
+
+
+def samefile(path1, path2):
+    """return True if represent the same file"""
+    if not os.path.exists(path1):
+        return False
+    if not os.path.exists(path2):
+        return False
+    return os.path.samefile(path1, path2)