diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/copycds.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/copycds.pm
index 0a4ff32d5..90a20c151 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/copycds.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/copycds.pm
@@ -145,8 +145,11 @@ sub process_request {
 
             if ($path)
             {
-                $path=Cwd::realpath($path);
-                unless(substr($path,0,length("/install")) eq "/install"){
+                
+                if(-e $path) {
+                    $path=Cwd::realpath($path);
+                }
+                unless((substr($path,0,length("/install/")) eq "/install/") or ($path eq "/install")){
                     $callback->({ warning => "copycds: the specified path \"$path\" is not a subdirectory under /install. Make sure this path is configured for httpd/apache, otherwise, the provisioning with this iso will fail!" }); 
                 }
                 push @{ $newreq->{arg} }, ("-p", $path);