diff --git a/lib/libalpm/dload.c b/lib/libalpm/dload.c
index 6db187d7..c614d07e 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/dload.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/dload.c
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ static int curl_check_finished_download(alpm_handle_t *handle, CURLM *curlm, CUR
 	curl_easy_getinfo(curl, CURLINFO_CONDITION_UNMET, &timecond);
 	curl_easy_getinfo(curl, CURLINFO_EFFECTIVE_URL, &effective_url);
 
-	/* Let's check if client requested downloading accompanion *.sig file */
+	/* Let's check if client requested downloading a companion *.sig file */
 	if(!payload->signature && payload->download_signature && curlerr == CURLE_OK && payload->respcode < 400) {
 		struct dload_payload *sig = NULL;
 		char *url = payload->fileurl;
@@ -1098,6 +1098,25 @@ static int move_file(const char *filepath, const char *directory)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int unlink_and_maybe_move_file(const char *filepath, const char *directory, const bool do_move)
+{
+	ASSERT(filepath != NULL, return -1);
+	ASSERT(directory != NULL, return -1);
+	int ret = finalize_download_file(filepath);
+	if(ret != 0) {
+		return ret;
+	}
+	const char *filename = mbasename(filepath);
+	char *dest = _alpm_get_fullpath(directory, filename, "");
+	unlink(dest);
+	if(do_move && rename(filepath, dest)) {
+		FREE(dest);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	FREE(dest);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int finalize_download_locations(alpm_list_t *payloads, const char *localpath)
 {
 	ASSERT(payloads != NULL, return -1);
@@ -1121,15 +1140,18 @@ static int finalize_download_locations(alpm_list_t *payloads, const char *localp
 				}
 			}
 
-			if (payload->download_signature) {
-				const char sig_suffix[] = ".sig";
-				char *sig_filename = NULL;
-				size_t sig_filename_len = strlen(payload->destfile_name) + sizeof(sig_suffix);
-				MALLOC(sig_filename, sig_filename_len, continue);
-				snprintf(sig_filename, sig_filename_len, "%s%s", payload->destfile_name, sig_suffix);
-				move_file(sig_filename, localpath);
-				FREE(sig_filename);
+			const char sig_suffix[] = ".sig";
+			char *sig_filename = NULL;
+			size_t sig_filename_len = strlen(payload->destfile_name) + sizeof(sig_suffix);
+			MALLOC(sig_filename, sig_filename_len, continue);
+			snprintf(sig_filename, sig_filename_len, "%s%s", payload->destfile_name, sig_suffix);
+
+			if(unlink_and_maybe_move_file(sig_filename, localpath, payload->download_signature) == -1 &&
+					payload->download_signature && !payload->signature_optional) {
+				returnvalue = -1;
 			}
+
+			FREE(sig_filename);
 		}
 	}
 	return returnvalue;
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/dload.h b/lib/libalpm/dload.h
index dd504e88..7d4124b1 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/dload.h
+++ b/lib/libalpm/dload.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct dload_payload {
 	int allow_resume;
 	int errors_ok;
 	int unlink_on_fail;
-	int download_signature; /* specifies if an accompanion *.sig file need to be downloaded*/
+	int download_signature; /* specifies if a companion *.sig file need to be downloaded*/
 	int signature_optional; /* *.sig file is optional */
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBCURL
 	CURL *curl;
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/sync.c b/lib/libalpm/sync.c
index 13cf1cef..854a4f59 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/sync.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/sync.c
@@ -744,9 +744,9 @@ static int find_dl_candidates(alpm_handle_t *handle, alpm_list_t **files)
 			ASSERT(spkg->filename != NULL, RET_ERR(handle, ALPM_ERR_PKG_INVALID_NAME, -1));
 
 			need_download = spkg->download_size != 0 || !_alpm_filecache_exists(handle, spkg->filename);
-			/* even if the package file in the cache we need to check for
-			 * accompanion *.sig file as well.
-			 * If *.sig is not cached then force download the package + its signature file.
+			/* even if the package file is in the cache, we need to check for
+			 * a companion *.sig file as well.
+			 * If *.sig is not cached, then force download the package + its signature file.
 			 */
 			if(!need_download && (siglevel & ALPM_SIG_PACKAGE)) {
 				char *sig_filename = NULL;