diff --git a/plugins/nf-azure/src/main/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLib.groovy b/plugins/nf-azure/src/main/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLib.groovy
index 0653da019a..1755d1f806 100644
--- a/plugins/nf-azure/src/main/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLib.groovy
+++ b/plugins/nf-azure/src/main/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLib.groovy
@@ -73,25 +73,26 @@ class AzBashLib extends BashFunLib<AzBashLib> {
               azcopy cp "$name" "$target/$name?$AZ_SAS" --block-blob-tier $AZCOPY_BLOCK_BLOB_TIER --block-size-mb $AZCOPY_BLOCK_SIZE_MB
             fi
         }
-        
+
         nxf_az_download() {
             local source=$1
             local target=$2
             local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-            local ret
             mkdir -p "$basedir"
-        
-            ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                mkdir -p $target
-                azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                    rm -rf $target
+
+            # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+            if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                rm -rf "$target"
+                mkdir -p "$target"
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                    rm -rf "$target"
                     >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                     exit 1
-                }
-            }
+                fi
+            fi
         }
-        '''.stripIndent(true)
+        '''.stripIndent()
     }
 
     String render() {
diff --git a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/batch/AzFileCopyStrategyTest.groovy b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/batch/AzFileCopyStrategyTest.groovy
index 436fcb2ce9..fd7b77f3ec 100644
--- a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/batch/AzFileCopyStrategyTest.groovy
+++ b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/batch/AzFileCopyStrategyTest.groovy
@@ -179,18 +179,19 @@ class AzFileCopyStrategyTest extends Specification {
                     local source=$1
                     local target=$2
                     local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                    local ret
                     mkdir -p "$basedir"
                 
-                    ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                        ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                        mkdir -p $target
-                        azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                            rm -rf $target
+                    # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                        # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                        rm -rf "$target"
+                        mkdir -p "$target"
+                        if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                            rm -rf "$target"
                             >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                             exit 1
-                        }
-                    }
+                        fi
+                    fi
                 }
                 
                 '''.stripIndent(true)
@@ -316,18 +317,19 @@ class AzFileCopyStrategyTest extends Specification {
                     local source=$1
                     local target=$2
                     local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                    local ret
                     mkdir -p "$basedir"
                 
-                    ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                        ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                        mkdir -p $target
-                        azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                            rm -rf $target
+                    # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                        # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                        rm -rf "$target"
+                        mkdir -p "$target"
+                        if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                            rm -rf "$target"
                             >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                             exit 1
-                        }
-                    }
+                        fi
+                    fi
                 }
 
                 '''.stripIndent(true)
@@ -477,18 +479,19 @@ class AzFileCopyStrategyTest extends Specification {
                         local source=$1
                         local target=$2
                         local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                        local ret
                         mkdir -p "$basedir"
                     
-                        ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                            ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                            mkdir -p $target
-                            azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                                rm -rf $target
+                        # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                        if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                            # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                            rm -rf "$target"
+                            mkdir -p "$target"
+                            if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                                rm -rf "$target"
                                 >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                                 exit 1
-                            }
-                        }
+                            fi
+                        fi
                     }
 
                     '''.stripIndent(true)
diff --git a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLibTest.groovy b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLibTest.groovy
index b300da8f5e..4155e77fbf 100644
--- a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLibTest.groovy
+++ b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/cloud/azure/file/AzBashLibTest.groovy
@@ -38,18 +38,19 @@ class AzBashLibTest extends Specification {
                 local source=$1
                 local target=$2
                 local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                local ret
                 mkdir -p "$basedir"
 
-                ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                    ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                    mkdir -p $target
-                    azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                        rm -rf $target
+                # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                    # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                    rm -rf "$target"
+                    mkdir -p "$target"
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                        rm -rf "$target"
                         >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                         exit 1
-                    }
-                }
+                    fi
+                fi
             }
             '''.stripIndent()
     }
@@ -140,18 +141,19 @@ class AzBashLibTest extends Specification {
                 local source=$1
                 local target=$2
                 local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                local ret
                 mkdir -p "$basedir"
-            
-                ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                    ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                    mkdir -p $target
-                    azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                        rm -rf $target
+
+                # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                    # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                    rm -rf "$target"
+                    mkdir -p "$target"
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                        rm -rf "$target"
                         >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                         exit 1
-                    }
-                }
+                    fi
+                fi
             }
             '''.stripIndent()
     }
@@ -242,18 +244,19 @@ class AzBashLibTest extends Specification {
                 local source=$1
                 local target=$2
                 local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                local ret
                 mkdir -p "$basedir"
             
-                ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                    ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                    mkdir -p $target
-                    azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                        rm -rf $target
+                # Try to download as file first, let azcopy handle the detection
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                    # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                    rm -rf "$target"
+                    mkdir -p "$target"
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                        rm -rf "$target"
                         >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                         exit 1
-                    }
-                }
+                    fi
+                fi
             }
             '''.stripIndent()
     }
diff --git a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/executor/BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest.groovy b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/executor/BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest.groovy
index 1969345af5..d6a380fb60 100644
--- a/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/executor/BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest.groovy
+++ b/plugins/nf-azure/src/test/nextflow/executor/BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest.groovy
@@ -77,15 +77,14 @@ class BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest extends Specification {
             nxf_az_download() {
                 local source=$1
                 local target=$2
-                local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                local ret
+                local basedir=$(dirname "$target")
                 mkdir -p "$basedir"
             
-                ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                    ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                    mkdir -p $target
-                    azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                        rm -rf $target
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                    # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                    rm -rf "$target"; mkdir -p "$target"
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                        rm -rf "$target"
                         >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                         exit 1
                     }
@@ -216,15 +215,14 @@ class BashWrapperBuilderWithAzTest extends Specification {
             nxf_az_download() {
                 local source=$1
                 local target=$2
-                local basedir=$(dirname $2)
-                local ret
+                local basedir=$(dirname "$target")
                 mkdir -p "$basedir"
             
-                ret=$(azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target" 2>&1) || {
-                    ## if fails check if it was trying to download a directory
-                    mkdir -p $target
-                    azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive >/dev/null || {
-                        rm -rf $target
+                if ! azcopy cp "$source?$AZ_SAS" "$target"; then
+                    # If failed, remove any partial target and try as directory
+                    rm -rf "$target"; mkdir -p "$target"
+                    if ! azcopy cp "$source/*?$AZ_SAS" "$target" --recursive; then
+                        rm -rf "$target"
                         >&2 echo "Unable to download path: $source"
                         exit 1
                     }