Index: subversion/libsvn_repos/reporter.c
===================================================================
--- subversion/libsvn_repos/reporter.c	(revision 17078)
+++ subversion/libsvn_repos/reporter.c	(working copy)
@@ -837,10 +837,15 @@ drive (report_baton_t *b, svn_revnum_t s
   if (info_is_set_path && !s_entry)
     s_fullpath = NULL;
 
+  /* Check if the target path exists first.  */
+  if (!t_entry)
+    return svn_error_create (SVN_ERR_FS_PATH_SYNTAX, NULL,
+                             _("Target path does not exist"));
+
   /* If the anchor is the operand, the source and target must be dirs.
      Check this before opening the root to avoid modifying the wc. */
-  if (!*b->s_operand && (!s_entry || s_entry->kind != svn_node_dir
-                         || !t_entry || t_entry->kind != svn_node_dir))
+  else if (!*b->s_operand && (!s_entry || s_entry->kind != svn_node_dir
+                              || t_entry->kind != svn_node_dir))
     return svn_error_create (SVN_ERR_FS_PATH_SYNTAX, NULL,
                              _("Cannot replace a directory from within"));