diff --git a/src/host/localhost.rs b/src/host/localhost.rs
index 91ec8cb..ae06fae 100644
--- a/src/host/localhost.rs
+++ b/src/host/localhost.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@ use super::{HostBridge, HostResult};
 use crate::host::{HostError, HostErrorType};
 use crate::utils::path;
 
+/// Returns whether `a` and `b` resolve to the same filesystem path.
+/// Falls back to comparing the raw paths when canonicalization fails
+/// (e.g. one of the paths doesn't exist).
+fn same_file(a: &Path, b: &Path) -> bool {
+    match (a.canonicalize(), b.canonicalize()) {
+        (Ok(a), Ok(b)) => a == b,
+        _ => a == b,
+    }
+}
+
 /// Localhost is the entity which holds the information about the current directory and host.
 /// It provides functions to navigate across the local host file system
 pub struct Localhost {
@@ -292,6 +302,16 @@ impl HostBridge for Localhost {
                 }
                 false => dst.clone(),
             };
+            // Refuse to copy a file onto itself; std::fs::copy would otherwise
+            // truncate the source to 0 bytes (#421, e.g. empty destination).
+            if same_file(entry.path(), dst.as_path()) {
+                error!("Refusing to copy file onto itself: {}", dst.display());
+                return Err(HostError::new(
+                    HostErrorType::CouldNotCreateFile,
+                    None,
+                    dst.as_path(),
+                ));
+            }
             // Copy entry path to dst path
             if let Err(err) = std::fs::copy(entry.path(), dst.as_path()) {
                 error!("Failed to copy file: {}", err);
@@ -957,6 +977,32 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(host.files.len(), 2);
     }
 
+    #[cfg(posix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn test_host_should_not_truncate_file_when_copying_to_empty_dest() {
+        // Regression test for #421: copying a file with an empty destination
+        // must not empty (truncate to 0KB) the original file.
+        let tmpdir: tempfile::TempDir = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let mut file1_path: PathBuf = PathBuf::from(tmpdir.path());
+        file1_path.push("foo.txt");
+        let mut file1 = StdFile::create(file1_path.as_path()).ok().unwrap();
+        assert!(file1.write_all(b"Hello world!\n").is_ok());
+        // Create host
+        let mut host: Localhost = Localhost::new(PathBuf::from(tmpdir.path())).ok().unwrap();
+        let file1_entry: File = host.files.get(0).unwrap().clone();
+        assert_eq!(file1_entry.name(), String::from("foo.txt"));
+        // Copy with empty destination -> must fail and leave file untouched
+        assert!(
+            host.copy(&file1_entry, PathBuf::from("").as_path())
+                .is_err()
+        );
+        // Original file must still hold its content
+        assert_eq!(
+            std::fs::read(file1_path.as_path()).unwrap(),
+            b"Hello world!\n"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[cfg(posix)]
     #[test]
     fn test_host_copy_directory_absolute() {
diff --git a/src/ui/activities/filetransfer/actions/copy.rs b/src/ui/activities/filetransfer/actions/copy.rs
index 60a5a34..370f69f 100644
--- a/src/ui/activities/filetransfer/actions/copy.rs
+++ b/src/ui/activities/filetransfer/actions/copy.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ use super::{FileTransferActivity, LogLevel, SelectedFile, TransferPayload};
 impl FileTransferActivity {
     /// Copy the currently selected file(s) via the active tab's pane.
     pub(crate) fn action_copy(&mut self, input: String) {
+        // An empty destination would resolve to the source itself and could
+        // empty the original file (#421); treat it as a cancel.
+        if input.trim().is_empty() {
+            self.log(
+                LogLevel::Warn,
+                "Copy cancelled: no destination was provided".to_string(),
+            );
+            return;
+        }
         match self.get_selected_entries() {
             SelectedFile::One(entry) => {
                 let dest_path = PathBuf::from(input);