diff --git a/mercurial/context.py b/mercurial/context.py
--- a/mercurial/context.py
+++ b/mercurial/context.py
@@ -1879,6 +1879,12 @@ class workingfilectx(committablefilectx)
                 raise
             return (t, tz)
 
+    def exists(self):
+        return self._repo.wvfs.exists(self._path)
+
+    def lexists(self):
+        return self._repo.wvfs.lexists(self._path)
+
     def audit(self):
         return self._repo.wvfs.audit(self._path)
 
diff --git a/mercurial/merge.py b/mercurial/merge.py
--- a/mercurial/merge.py
+++ b/mercurial/merge.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 import errno
 import hashlib
-import os
 import shutil
 import struct
 
@@ -1206,7 +1205,7 @@ def applyupdates(repo, actions, wctx, mc
 
     # remove renamed files after safely stored
     for f in moves:
-        if os.path.lexists(repo.wjoin(f)):
+        if wctx[f].lexists():
             repo.ui.debug("removing %s\n" % f)
             wctx[f].audit()
             wctx[f].remove()