diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
@@ -199,6 +199,21 @@
         assert_equal(self.nodes[1].getbalance(), balance1)
         assert_equal(self.nodes[2].getbalance(), balance2)
 
+        # backup to file self must fail
+        try:
+            self.nodes[0].backupwallet(tmpdir +
+                    "/node0/regtest/wallet.dat")
+            raise AssertionError("Must not backup to file itself!")
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
+            assert("backup failed" in e.error['message'])
+
+        # different route to same path also fails
+        try:
+            self.nodes[0].backupwallet(tmpdir +
+                    "/node0/./regtest/wallet.dat")
+            raise AssertionError("Must not backup to file itself!")
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
+            assert("backup failed" in e.error['message'])
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     WalletBackupTest().main()
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -4398,6 +4398,13 @@
                     pathDest /= strWalletFile;
                 }
 
+                if (boost::filesystem::equivalent(pathSrc, pathDest)) {
+                    LogPrintf("cannot backup to wallet source file %s\n",
+                              pathDest.string());
+                    return false;
+
+                }
+
                 try {
 #if BOOST_VERSION >= 104000
                     boost::filesystem::copy_file(