diff --git a/cumulusci/tasks/bulkdata/snowfakery.py b/cumulusci/tasks/bulkdata/snowfakery.py
index 1125714ca0..bef4e888cf 100644
--- a/cumulusci/tasks/bulkdata/snowfakery.py
+++ b/cumulusci/tasks/bulkdata/snowfakery.py
@@ -583,8 +583,10 @@ def _generate_and_load_initial_batch(self, working_directory: Path):
             self.sets_finished_while_generating_template = num_records
 
         new_template_dir = data_loader_new_directory_name(template_dir, self.run_until)
-        shutil.move(template_dir, new_template_dir)
-        template_dir = new_template_dir
+        # rename only if new_template_dir does not match template_dir
+        if template_dir.resolve() != new_template_dir.resolve():
+            shutil.move(template_dir, new_template_dir)
+            template_dir = new_template_dir
 
         # don't send data tables to child processes. All they
         # care about are ID->OID mappings