diff --git a/HISTORY b/HISTORY
index b90d5451..448d35bb 100644
--- a/HISTORY
+++ b/HISTORY
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-
 4.1.1   2018-??-??
         repmgr: truncate version string, if necessary; GitHub #490 (Ian)
         repmgr: improve messages emitted during "standby promote" (Ian)
+	repmgr: "standby clone" - don't copy external config files in --dry-run
+	  mode; GitHub #491 (Ian)
         repmgrd: ensure that sending SIGHUP always results in the log file
           being reopened; GitHub #485 (Ian)
         repmgrd: report version number *after* logger initialisation; GitHub #487 (Ian)
diff --git a/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml b/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
index e4095c08..fa754834 100644
--- a/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
+++ b/doc/repmgr-standby-clone.sgml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
     not be copied by default. &repmgr; can copy these files, either to the same
     location on the standby server (provided appropriate directory and file permissions
     are available), or into the standby's data directory. This requires passwordless
-    SSH access to the primary server. Add the option <literal>--copy-external-config-files</literal>
+    SSH access to the primary server. Add the option <option>--copy-external-config-files</option>
     to the <command>repmgr standby clone</command> command; by default files will be copied to
     the same path as on the upstream server. Note that the user executing <command>repmgr</command>
     must have write access to those directories.
@@ -59,12 +59,29 @@
     <literal>--copy-external-config-files=pgdata</literal>, but note that
     any include directives in the copied files may need to be updated.
    </para>
+
+   <note>
+	 <para>
+	   When executing <command>repmgr standby clone</command> with the
+	   <option>--copy-external-config-files</option> aand <option>--dry-run</option>
+	   options, &repmgr; will check the SSH connection to the source node, but
+	   will not verify whether the files can actually be copied.
+	 </para>
+	 <para>
+	   During the actual clone operation, a check will be made before the database itself
+	   is cloned to determine whether the files can actually be copied; if any problems are
+	   encountered, the clone operation will be aborted, enabling the user to fix
+	   any issues before retrying the clone operation.
+	 </para>
+   </note>
+
    <tip>
     <simpara>
      For reliable configuration file management we recommend using a
      configuration management tool such as Ansible, Chef, Puppet or Salt.
     </simpara>
    </tip>
+
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1 id="repmgr-standby-clone-recovery-conf">
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index 86a14021..3ac147ec 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
 			termPQExpBuffer(&msg);
 
 			r = test_ssh_connection(runtime_options.host, runtime_options.remote_user);
+
 			if (r != 0)
 			{
 				log_error(_("remote host \"%s\" is not reachable via SSH - unable to copy external configuration files"),
@@ -498,32 +499,41 @@ do_standby_clone(void)
 
 			termPQExpBuffer(&msg);
 
+
 			/*
 			 * Here we'll attempt an initial test copy of the detected external
 			 * files, to detect any issues before we run the base backup.
 			 *
 			 * Note this will exit with an error, unless -F/--force supplied.
 			 *
+			 * We don't do this during a --dry-run as it may introduce unexpected changes
+			 * on the local node; during an actual clone operation, any problems with
+			 * copying files will be detected early and the operation aborted before
+			 * the actual database cloning commences.
+			 *
 			 * TODO: put the files in a temporary directory and move to their final
 			 * destination once the database has been cloned.
 			 */
 
-			if (runtime_options.copy_external_config_files_destination == CONFIG_FILE_SAMEPATH)
+			if (runtime_options.dry_run == false)
 			{
-				/*
-				 * Files will be placed in the same path as on the source server;
-				 * don't delete after copying.
-				 */
-				copy_configuration_files(false);
+				if (runtime_options.copy_external_config_files_destination == CONFIG_FILE_SAMEPATH)
+				{
+					/*
+					 * Files will be placed in the same path as on the source server;
+					 * don't delete after copying.
+					 */
+					copy_configuration_files(false);
 
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				/*
-				 * Files will be placed in the data directory - delete after copying.
-				 * They'll be copied again later; see TODO above.
-				 */
-				copy_configuration_files(true);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					/*
+					 * Files will be placed in the data directory - delete after copying.
+					 * They'll be copied again later; see TODO above.
+					 */
+					copy_configuration_files(true);
+				}
 			}
 		}