diff --git a/src/dcqc/file.py b/src/dcqc/file.py
index f949764..dcd29c5 100644
--- a/src/dcqc/file.py
+++ b/src/dcqc/file.py
@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import glob
 import os
 from collections.abc import Collection, Mapping
 from copy import deepcopy
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
-from tempfile import mkdtemp
+from tempfile import gettempdir, mkdtemp
 from typing import Any, ClassVar, Optional
 from warnings import warn
 
@@ -308,6 +309,27 @@ def is_file_local(self) -> bool:
         """
         return self._local_path is not None
 
+    def already_staged(self) -> list[Path]:
+        """Check if the target file has already been staged to the remote directory.
+
+        Returns:
+            staged_file_paths (list): List of already staged file paths.
+            Empty list if file has not been staged.
+
+        Raises:
+            FileExistsError: If the file has already been staged more than once.
+            This would cause a name collision in Nextflow.
+        """
+        path_str = os.path.join(gettempdir(), self.tmp_dir + "*", self.name)
+        staged_file_strs = glob.glob(path_str)
+        staged_file_paths = [Path(path) for path in staged_file_strs]
+        if len(staged_file_paths) > 1:
+            message = (
+                f"File has already been staged multiple times: {staged_file_paths}"
+            )
+            raise FileExistsError(message)
+        return staged_file_paths
+
     def stage(
         self,
         destination: Optional[Path] = None,
@@ -338,8 +360,15 @@ def stage(
             if self._local_path is not None:
                 return self._local_path
             else:
-                destination_str = mkdtemp(prefix=self.tmp_dir)
-                destination = Path(destination_str)
+                # check if file has already been staged
+                staged_files = self.already_staged()
+                if not staged_files:
+                    destination_str = mkdtemp(prefix=self.tmp_dir)
+                    destination = Path(destination_str)
+                else:
+                    destination = staged_files[0]
+                    self._local_path = destination
+                    return destination
 
         # By this point, destination is defined (not None)
         if destination.is_dir():
diff --git a/tests/test_file.py b/tests/test_file.py
index 6e96adc..68b5eec 100644
--- a/tests/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/test_file.py
@@ -1,11 +1,55 @@
+import glob
+import os
+import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
-from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory, gettempdir
+from typing import List
 
 import pytest
 
 from dcqc.file import File, FileType
 
 
+def create_duplicate_files(file_num) -> List[str]:
+    """Create duplicate files (empty txt) for testing.
+
+    Args:
+        file_num (int): number of files to create
+
+    Returns:
+       file_path_list (List[str]): list of file paths
+    """
+    file_path_list = [
+        os.path.join(gettempdir(), f"dcqc-staged-test{i}/test.txt")
+        for i in range(file_num)
+    ]
+
+    for file_path in file_path_list:
+        parent_dir = os.path.dirname(file_path)
+        if not os.path.exists(parent_dir):
+            os.makedirs(parent_dir)
+        if not os.path.exists(file_path):
+            with open(file_path, "w"):
+                pass
+
+    return file_path_list
+
+
+def remove_staged_files():
+    """Removes all staged files and their parent directories
+    which follow the 'dcqc-staged-*' pattern.
+
+    To be used at the end of all tests which result in such
+    files being created.
+    """
+    path_str = os.path.join(gettempdir(), "dcqc-staged-" + "*", "test.txt")
+    staged_file_strs = glob.glob(path_str)
+    for staged_file_str in staged_file_strs:
+        directory_path = os.path.dirname(staged_file_str)
+        if os.path.exists(directory_path):
+            shutil.rmtree(directory_path)
+
+
 def test_for_an_error_if_registering_a_duplicate_file_type():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         FileType("txt", (".foo",))
@@ -60,6 +104,23 @@ def test_that_a_local_temporary_path_is_created_when_staging_a_remote_file(test_
     staged_path = remote_file.stage()
     assert staged_path.exists()
     assert remote_file.local_path == staged_path
+    remove_staged_files()
+
+
+def test_that_error_is_raised_when_a_file_has_been_staged_multiple_times(test_files):
+    create_duplicate_files(2)
+    remote_file = test_files["remote"]
+    with pytest.raises(FileExistsError):
+        remote_file.stage()
+    remove_staged_files()
+
+
+def test_that_file_is_not_staged_when_it_already_has_been_staged(test_files):
+    duplicate_file = create_duplicate_files(1)[0]
+    remote_file = test_files["remote"]
+    destination = remote_file.stage()
+    assert destination == Path(duplicate_file)
+    remove_staged_files()
 
 
 def test_that_a_remote_file_is_created_when_staged_with_a_destination(test_files):