diff --git a/gortools/src/main/java/gorsat/process/GorJavaUtilities.java b/gortools/src/main/java/gorsat/process/GorJavaUtilities.java
index b6db2c0c..0a03a605 100644
--- a/gortools/src/main/java/gorsat/process/GorJavaUtilities.java
+++ b/gortools/src/main/java/gorsat/process/GorJavaUtilities.java
@@ -579,12 +579,9 @@ public static String verifyLinkFileLastModified(ProjectContext projectContext, S
 
     public static void writeDictionaryFromMeta(FileReader fileReader, String outfolderpath, String dictionarypath) throws IOException {
         FileReader localFileReader = fileReader;
-        if (PathUtils.isLocal(outfolderpath)) {
-            // Force meta data update on the parent (solves issue with NFS sycn)
-            try (Stream<String> paths = fileReader.list(PathUtils.getParent(outfolderpath))) {
-                // Intentionally empty.
-            }
-        }
+
+        fileReader.updateFileSystemMetaData(outfolderpath);
+
         try (Stream<String> metapathstream = localFileReader.list(outfolderpath);
              Writer dictionarypathwriter = new OutputStreamWriter(localFileReader.getOutputStream(dictionarypath))) {
             var metaList = metapathstream.parallel().filter(p -> DataUtil.isMeta(p)).map(p -> GorMeta.createAndLoad(localFileReader, p)).collect(Collectors.toList());
diff --git a/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Gorif.scala b/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Gorif.scala
index 36e5695c..ea09c0dd 100644
--- a/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Gorif.scala
+++ b/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Gorif.scala
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class Gorif extends InputSourceInfo("GORIF",
     // Filter out filepath if not exists
     val nonExistentFiles = iargs.filter(arg =>
       !CommandParseUtilities.isNestedCommand(arg) &&
-      !context.getSession.getProjectContext.getFileReader.exists(arg)).toList
+      !context.getSession.getProjectContext.getFileReader.existsWithMetaDataUpdate(arg)).toList
     val checkedIargs = iargs.filterNot(nonExistentFiles.contains)
 
     if (checkedIargs.isEmpty) {
diff --git a/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Nor.scala b/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Nor.scala
index 8663c48a..f62fb788 100644
--- a/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Nor.scala
+++ b/gortools/src/main/scala/gorsat/InputSources/Nor.scala
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ object Nor
       // Filter out filepath if not exists
       val nonExistentFiles = iargs.filter(arg =>
         !CommandParseUtilities.isNestedCommand(arg) &&
-          !context.getSession.getProjectContext.getFileReader.exists(arg)).toList
+          !context.getSession.getProjectContext.getFileReader.existsWithMetaDataUpdate(arg)).toList
       val checkedIargs = iargs.filterNot(nonExistentFiles.contains)
 
       if (checkedIargs.isEmpty) {
diff --git a/model/src/main/java/org/gorpipe/gor/model/FileReader.java b/model/src/main/java/org/gorpipe/gor/model/FileReader.java
index 7149d1b8..ac0d7dfd 100644
--- a/model/src/main/java/org/gorpipe/gor/model/FileReader.java
+++ b/model/src/main/java/org/gorpipe/gor/model/FileReader.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import org.gorpipe.gor.driver.meta.SourceReference;
 import org.gorpipe.gor.driver.providers.stream.sources.StreamSource;
 import org.gorpipe.gor.driver.utils.LinkFile;
+import org.gorpipe.gor.table.util.PathUtils;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -363,4 +364,42 @@ public FileReader unsecure() {
     public Stream<SourceRef> prepareSources(Stream<SourceRef> sources) {
         return sources;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Update the file system metadata for the given path/file.
+     * NOTE: This can be expensive, so it should be used with care.  This is only needed for
+     *       (shared)filesystems (not object storage).
+     * @param path
+     * @throws IOException
+     */
+    public void updateFileSystemMetaData(String path) throws IOException {
+        if (PathUtils.isLocal(path)) {
+            // Force meta data update on the parent (solves issue with NFS sycn)
+            try (Stream<String> paths = this.list(PathUtils.getParent(path))) {
+                // Intentionally empty.
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if a file exists, and if not, update the file system metadata for the given path.
+     * This is useful when working with files that may have been recently created or modified.
+     *
+     * @param path The path to check for existence.
+     * @return true if the file exists, false otherwise.
+     */
+    public boolean existsWithMetaDataUpdate(String path) {
+        if (exists(path)) {
+            return true;
+        } else {
+            try {
+                // If the file does not exist, we try to update the metadata.
+                updateFileSystemMetaData(path);
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                log.warn("Could not update file system metadata for path: {}", path, e);
+                return false;
+            }
+            return exists(path);
+        }
+    }
 }