diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/README.md b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/README.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 258c9e3b4..000000000
--- a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/README.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-tripleo-transfer
-================
-
-An Ansible role to files from one overcloud node to another one.
-
-Optional:
-
-* `tripleo_transfer_storage_root_dir` -- directory on the Ansible host
-  under which all data is temporarily stored
-  (defaults to "/var/lib/mistral/tripleo-transfer")
-* `tripleo_transfer_storage_root_become` -- whether to use `become`
-  when creating the storage root directory
-  (defaults to false)
-* `tripleo_transfer_src_become` -- whether to use `become`
-  on the source host
-  (defaults to true)
-* `tripleo_transfer_dest_become` -- whether to use `become`
-  on the destination host
-  (defaults to true)
-* `tripleo_transfer_dest_wipe` -- whether to wipe the destination
-  directory before transferring the content
-  (defaults to true)
diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/defaults/main.yml b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/defaults/main.yml
index 6b2e7df64..20886a49b 100644
--- a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/defaults/main.yml
@@ -29,3 +29,4 @@ tripleo_transfer_storage_root_become: false
 tripleo_transfer_src_become: true
 tripleo_transfer_dest_become: true
 tripleo_transfer_dest_wipe: true
+tripleo_transfer_flag_file: ~
diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/flag.yml b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/flag.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c1ce261f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/flag.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2019 Red Hat, Inc.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+
+- name: check flag file existence in destination host
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ tripleo_transfer_flag_file }}"
+  register: tripleo_transfer_flag_stat
+  become: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_become }}"
+  delegate_to: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_host }}"
+
+- name: fail if flag file exists
+  fail:
+    msg: >
+      Data transfer to '{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_dir }}' was prevented
+      by flag file existence. This means the transfer was attempted
+      before and another one would overwrite the data. If this is
+      desired, remove the flag file at '{{ tripleo_transfer_flag_file }}'
+      and re-run the data transfer.
+  when:
+    - tripleo_transfer_flag_stat.stat.exists
+  delegate_to: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_host }}"
+
+- name: ensure directory for flag file exists
+  file:
+    path: "{{ tripleo_transfer_flag_file|dirname }}"
+    state: directory
+  become: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_become }}"
+  delegate_to: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_host }}"
+
+- name: create the flag file
+  file:
+    path: "{{ tripleo_transfer_flag_file }}"
+    state: touch
+  become: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_become }}"
+  delegate_to: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_host }}"
diff --git a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/main.yml b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/main.yml
index 0c98b038f..672023c57 100644
--- a/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tripleo_ansible/roles/tripleo-transfer/tasks/main.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
   become: "{{ tripleo_transfer_src_become }}"
   delegate_to: "{{ tripleo_transfer_src_host }}"
 
+- include_tasks: flag.yml
+  when:
+    - tripleo_transfer_flag_file != None
+    - tripleo_transfer_flag_file|length > 0
+
 - name: wipe the destination directory
   file:
     path: "{{ tripleo_transfer_dest_dir_safe }}"