diff --git a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync.go b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync.go
index fb88652c1..e7088fc6c 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_remote_sync.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_remote_sync.go
@@ -105,30 +105,7 @@ func followUpdatesAndUploadToRemote(option *RemoteSyncOptions, filerSource *sour
 		return fmt.Errorf("read mount info: %v", detectErr)
 	}
 
-	// 1. specified by timeAgo
-	// 2. last offset timestamp for this directory
-	// 3. directory creation time
-	var lastOffsetTs time.Time
-	if *option.timeAgo == 0 {
-		mountedDirEntry, err := filer_pb.GetEntry(option, util.FullPath(mountedDir))
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("lookup %s: %v", mountedDir, err)
-		}
-
-		lastOffsetTsNs, err := remote_storage.GetSyncOffset(option.grpcDialOption, *option.filerAddress, mountedDir)
-		if mountedDirEntry != nil {
-			if err == nil && mountedDirEntry.Attributes.Crtime < lastOffsetTsNs/1000000 {
-				lastOffsetTs = time.Unix(0, lastOffsetTsNs)
-				glog.V(0).Infof("resume from %v", lastOffsetTs)
-			} else {
-				lastOffsetTs = time.Unix(mountedDirEntry.Attributes.Crtime, 0)
-			}
-		} else {
-			lastOffsetTs = time.Now()
-		}
-	} else {
-		lastOffsetTs = time.Now().Add(-*option.timeAgo)
-	}
+	lastOffsetTs := collectLastSyncOffset(option, mountedDir)
 
 	client, err := remote_storage.GetRemoteStorage(remoteStorage)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -251,6 +228,35 @@ func followUpdatesAndUploadToRemote(option *RemoteSyncOptions, filerSource *sour
 		mountedDir, []string{filer.DirectoryEtcRemote}, lastOffsetTs.UnixNano(), 0, processEventFnWithOffset, false)
 }
 
+func collectLastSyncOffset(option *RemoteSyncOptions, mountedDir string) (time.Time) {
+	// 1. specified by timeAgo
+	// 2. last offset timestamp for this directory
+	// 3. directory creation time
+	var lastOffsetTs time.Time
+	if *option.timeAgo == 0 {
+		mountedDirEntry, err := filer_pb.GetEntry(option, util.FullPath(mountedDir))
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.V(0).Infof("get mounted directory %s: %v", mountedDir, err)
+			return time.Now()
+		}
+
+		lastOffsetTsNs, err := remote_storage.GetSyncOffset(option.grpcDialOption, *option.filerAddress, mountedDir)
+		if mountedDirEntry != nil {
+			if err == nil && mountedDirEntry.Attributes.Crtime < lastOffsetTsNs/1000000 {
+				lastOffsetTs = time.Unix(0, lastOffsetTsNs)
+				glog.V(0).Infof("resume from %v", lastOffsetTs)
+			} else {
+				lastOffsetTs = time.Unix(mountedDirEntry.Attributes.Crtime, 0)
+			}
+		} else {
+			lastOffsetTs = time.Now()
+		}
+	} else {
+		lastOffsetTs = time.Now().Add(-*option.timeAgo)
+	}
+	return lastOffsetTs
+}
+
 func toRemoteStorageLocation(mountDir, sourcePath util.FullPath, remoteMountLocation *remote_pb.RemoteStorageLocation) *remote_pb.RemoteStorageLocation {
 	source := string(sourcePath[len(mountDir):])
 	dest := util.FullPath(remoteMountLocation.Path).Child(source)