diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py b/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
index 5c31c92c33..3a327b214c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/filenames.py
@@ -208,17 +208,22 @@ def samefile_windows(src, dst):
     if samestring:
         return True
 
+    handles = []
+
     def get_fileid(x):
         if isbytestring(x): x = x.decode(filesystem_encoding)
         try:
             h = win32file.CreateFile(x, 0, 0, None, win32file.OPEN_EXISTING,
                     win32file.FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS, 0)
+            handles.append(h)
             data = win32file.GetFileInformationByHandle(h)
         except (error, EnvironmentError):
             return None
         return (data[4], data[8], data[9])
 
     a, b = get_fileid(src), get_fileid(dst)
+    for h in handles:
+        win32file.CloseHandle(h)
     if a is None and b is None:
         return False
     return a == b
@@ -302,6 +307,8 @@ class WindowsAtomicFolderMove(object):
                     ' operation was started'%path)
         try:
             win32file.CreateHardLink(dest, path)
+            if not os.path.exists(dest):
+                raise Exception('This apparently can happen on network shares. Sigh.')
             return
         except:
             pass
@@ -341,6 +348,8 @@ def hardlink_file(src, dest):
     if iswindows:
         import win32file
         win32file.CreateHardLink(dest, src)
+        if not os.path.exists(dest):
+            raise Exception('This apparently can happen on network shares. Sigh.')
         return
     os.link(src, dest)