diff --git a/build/build.node.ts b/build/build.node.ts
index 446b638394..5a0f9ac30c 100644
--- a/build/build.node.ts
+++ b/build/build.node.ts
@@ -1398,7 +1398,7 @@ namespace $ {
 
 			return targets
 		}
-		
+
 		@ $mol_mem_key
 		bundleFiles( [ path , exclude ] : [ path : string , exclude? : readonly string[] ] ) : $mol_file[] {
 			const root = this.root()
@@ -1423,8 +1423,7 @@ namespace $ {
 					}
 					const start = Date.now()
 
-					const target = file.clone(pack.resolve( `-/${ file.relate( root ) }` ).path())
-					target.stat()
+					const target = file.copy(pack.resolve( `-/${ file.relate( root ) }` ).path())
 
 					targets.push( target )
 					this.logBundle( target , Date.now() - start )
diff --git a/file/file.node.ts b/file/file.node.ts
index aebff59a16..8e05d976e0 100644
--- a/file/file.node.ts
+++ b/file/file.node.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ namespace $ {
 
 		@ $mol_mem
 		override stat(next? : $mol_file_stat | null, virt?: 'virt') {
-			if (next === undefined) this.copy_sync()
 			let stat = next
 			const path = this.path()
 
@@ -114,8 +113,11 @@ namespace $ {
 
 		}
 		
+		@ $mol_mem_key
 		override copy(to: string) {
+			this.stat()
 			$node.fs.copyFileSync(this.path(), to)
+			return this.$.$mol_file.absolute(to)
 		}
 
 		@ $mol_action
diff --git a/file/file.ts b/file/file.ts
index 166a951d33..07a77d03ae 100644
--- a/file/file.ts
+++ b/file/file.ts
@@ -35,14 +35,6 @@ namespace $ {
 			return this.resolve( '..' )
 		}
 
-		@ $mol_mem_key
-		clone(path: string) {
-			return ( this.constructor as typeof $mol_file ).make({
-				path: $mol_const(path),
-				copy_src: () => this.path()
-			})
-		}
-
 		stat(next? : $mol_file_stat | null, virt?: 'virt'): null | $mol_file_stat {
 			return null
 		}
@@ -125,20 +117,9 @@ namespace $ {
 		@ $mol_mem
 		buffer( next? : Uint8Array ) { return next ?? new Uint8Array }
 
-		@ $mol_mem
-		copy_src(path?: string) { return path ?? null }
-
-		copy(to: string) {}
-
-		@ $mol_mem
-		copy_sync() {
-			const src_path = this.copy_src()
-			if (! src_path) return false
-			const src = this.$.$mol_file.absolute(src_path)
-			src.stat()
-			src.copy(this.path())
-
-			return true
+		@ $mol_mem_key
+		copy(to: string): $mol_file {
+			throw new Error('not implemented')
 		}
 
 		@ $mol_mem
diff --git a/file/file.web.ts b/file/file.web.ts
index 4f739dd213..5bc6c9d160 100644
--- a/file/file.web.ts
+++ b/file/file.web.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ namespace $ {
 
 		@ $mol_mem
 		override stat( next? : $mol_file_stat, virt?: 'virt' ) {
-			this.copy_sync()
 			let stat = next
 			if (next === undefined) {
 				const content = this.text()