diff --git a/src/tm_mad/ssh/mv b/src/tm_mad/ssh/mv
index f282e4e5a8..6df6a8a58e 100755
--- a/src/tm_mad/ssh/mv
+++ b/src/tm_mad/ssh/mv
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ log "Moving $SRC to $DST"
 ssh_exec_and_log "$DST_HOST" "rm -rf '$DST_PATH'" \
     "Error removing target path to prevent overwrite errors"
 
-TAR_COPY="$SSH $SRC_HOST '$TAR -C $SRC_DS_DIR -cf - $SRC_VM_DIR'"
-TAR_COPY="$TAR_COPY | $SSH $DST_HOST '$TAR -C $DST_DIR -xf -'"
+TAR_COPY="$SSH $SRC_HOST '$TAR -C $SRC_DS_DIR --sparse -cf - $SRC_VM_DIR'"
+TAR_COPY="$TAR_COPY | $SSH $DST_HOST '$TAR -C $DST_DIR --sparse -xf -'"
 
 exec_and_log "eval $TAR_COPY" "Error copying disk directory to target host"