diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/RealmFileStore.cs b/osu.Game/Database/RealmFileStore.cs
index df276adbaf..4f429cb20c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/RealmFileStore.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/RealmFileStore.cs
@@ -62,9 +62,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 
         private void copyToStore(RealmFile file, Stream data, bool preferHardLinks)
         {
-            // attempt to do a fast hard link rather than copy.
-            if (data is FileStream fs && preferHardLinks && HardLinkHelper.AttemptHardLink(Storage.GetFullPath(file.GetStoragePath(), true), fs.Name))
-                return;
+            if (data is FileStream fs && preferHardLinks)
+            {
+                // attempt to do a fast hard link rather than copy.
+                if (HardLinkHelper.AttemptHardLink(Storage.GetFullPath(file.GetStoragePath(), true), fs.Name))
+                    return;
+            }
 
             data.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);