Index: Lib/distutils/tests/test_file_util.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/distutils/tests/test_file_util.py	(revision 69418)
+++ Lib/distutils/tests/test_file_util.py	(working copy)
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
         self.source = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'f1')
         self.target = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'f2')
         self.target_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'd1')
+        self.file_in_dir = os.path.join(self.target_dir, 'f1')
 
     def tearDown(self):
         log.info = self.old_log
@@ -58,7 +59,14 @@
         wanted = ['moving %s -> %s' % (self.source, self.target_dir)]
         self.assertEquals(self._logs, wanted)
 
+        # back to original state
+        move_file(self.file_in_dir, self.source, verbose=0)
 
+        # check whether dry_run=1 returns the same path/filename
+        dry = move_file(self.source, self.target_dir, verbose=1, dry_run=1)
+        real = move_file(self.source, self.target_dir, verbose=1, dry_run=0)
+        self.assertEquals(dry, real)
+
 def test_suite():
     return unittest.makeSuite(FileUtilTestCase)
 
Index: Lib/distutils/file_util.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/distutils/file_util.py	(revision 69418)
+++ Lib/distutils/file_util.py	(working copy)
@@ -197,9 +197,6 @@
     if verbose >= 1:
         log.info("moving %s -> %s", src, dst)
 
-    if dry_run:
-        return dst
-
     if not isfile(src):
         raise DistutilsFileError, \
               "can't move '%s': not a regular file" % src
@@ -216,6 +213,9 @@
               "can't move '%s': destination '%s' not a valid path" % \
               (src, dst)
 
+    if dry_run:
+        return dst
+
     copy_it = 0
     try:
         os.rename(src, dst)