diff --git a/src/backupformat/rsync.js b/src/backupformat/rsync.js
index 4cd3a4d3b..63947e8da 100644
--- a/src/backupformat/rsync.js
+++ b/src/backupformat/rsync.js
@@ -48,15 +48,15 @@ async function addFile(sourceFile, encryption, uploader, progressCallback) {
     const hash = new HashStream();
     const destStream = uploader.createStream();
 
-    let pipeline;
+    let pipelinePromise;
     if (encryption) {
         const encryptStream = new EncryptStream(encryption);
-        pipeline = safe(pipeline(sourceStream, encryptStream, ps, hash, destStream));
+        pipelinePromise = pipeline(sourceStream, encryptStream, ps, hash, destStream);
     } else {
-        pipeline = safe(pipeline(sourceStream, ps, hash, destStream));
+        pipelinePromise = pipeline(sourceStream, ps, hash, destStream);
     }
 
-    const [error] = await safe(pipeline);
+    const [error] = await safe(pipelinePromise);
     if (error && !error.message.includes('ENOENT')) throw new BoxError(BoxError.EXTERNAL_ERROR, `tarPack pipeline error: ${error.message}`); // ignore error if file disappears
     // debug(`addFile: pipeline finished: ${JSON.stringify(ps.stats())}`);