diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/jobs/exporter.go b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/jobs/exporter.go
index 95d4bc5b065..aaa6e1bf874 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/jobs/exporter.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/jobs/exporter.go
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ func (r *exporter) Export(ctx context.Context,
 		if err != nil && !(errors.Is(err, repository.ErrFileNotFound) || apierrors.IsNotFound(err)) {
 			logger.Error("failed to check if folder exists before writing", "error", err)
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to check if folder exists before writing: %w", err)
-		} else if err != nil { // ErrFileNotFound
-			err = r.repository.Create(ctx, p, ref, nil, "export of folder `"+p+"` in namespace "+ns)
-		} else {
+		} else if err == nil {
 			logger.Info("folder already exists")
+			return nil
 		}
 
-		if err != nil {
+		// ErrFileNotFound
+		if err := r.repository.Create(ctx, p, ref, nil, "export of folder `"+p+"` in namespace "+ns); err != nil {
 			logger.Error("failed to write a folder in repository", "error", err)
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to write folder in repo: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/repository/local.go b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/repository/local.go
index 6e48d750ce1..3837fd887f5 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/repository/local.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/repository/local.go
@@ -191,14 +191,14 @@ func (r *localRepository) Read(ctx context.Context, filePath string, ref string)
 
 	filePath, err := safepath.Join(r.path, filePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("join path: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	info, err := os.Stat(filePath)
 	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 		return nil, ErrFileNotFound
 	} else if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("stat file: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	path := strings.TrimPrefix(filePath, safepath.Clean(r.path))
@@ -214,12 +214,12 @@ func (r *localRepository) Read(ctx context.Context, filePath string, ref string)
 	//nolint:gosec
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(filePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read file: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	hash, _, err := r.calculateFileHash(filePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("calculate hash of file: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return &FileInfo{
@@ -291,11 +291,13 @@ func (r *localRepository) Create(ctx context.Context, sanitisedPath string, ref
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// before sanitizing, check if the path is a directory
+	isDir := strings.HasSuffix(sanitisedPath, "/")
 	inputUnsafePath := sanitisedPath // do NOT use in path operations, only for responses!
 
 	sanitisedPath, err := safepath.Join(r.path, sanitisedPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("join path: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	_, err = os.Stat(sanitisedPath)
@@ -306,7 +308,7 @@ func (r *localRepository) Create(ctx context.Context, sanitisedPath string, ref
 		return apierrors.NewAlreadyExists(provisioning.RepositoryResourceInfo.GroupResource(), inputUnsafePath)
 	}
 
-	if strings.HasSuffix(sanitisedPath, "/") {
+	if isDir {
 		if data != nil {
 			return apierrors.NewBadRequest("data cannot be provided for a directory")
 		}
@@ -314,6 +316,8 @@ func (r *localRepository) Create(ctx context.Context, sanitisedPath string, ref
 		if err := os.MkdirAll(sanitisedPath, 0700); err != nil {
 			return apierrors.NewInternalError(fmt.Errorf("failed to create path: %w", err))
 		}
+
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(sanitisedPath), 0700); err != nil {
@@ -330,7 +334,7 @@ func (r *localRepository) Update(ctx context.Context, path string, ref string, d
 
 	path, err := safepath.Join(r.path, path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("join path: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if strings.HasSuffix(path, "/") {