diff --git a/runhouse/resources/hardware/cluster.py b/runhouse/resources/hardware/cluster.py
index 532c89c2e..a1f62ad59 100644
--- a/runhouse/resources/hardware/cluster.py
+++ b/runhouse/resources/hardware/cluster.py
@@ -1840,3 +1840,6 @@ def _folder_mv(
         return self.client.folder_mv(
             path=path, dest_path=dest_path, overwrite=overwrite
         )
+
+    def _folder_exists(self, path: Union[str, Path]):
+        return self.client.folder_exists(path=path)
diff --git a/runhouse/servers/http/http_client.py b/runhouse/servers/http/http_client.py
index 33c2ed5bd..ec797724d 100644
--- a/runhouse/servers/http/http_client.py
+++ b/runhouse/servers/http/http_client.py
@@ -335,6 +335,12 @@ def folder_rm(self, path: Union[str, Path], contents: List, recursive: bool):
             "/folder/method/rm", req_type="post", json_dict=folder_params
         )
 
+    def folder_exists(self, path: str):
+        folder_params = FolderParams(path=path).dict()
+        return self.request_json(
+            "/folder/method/exists", req_type="post", json_dict=folder_params
+        )
+
     def get_certificate(self):
         cert: bytes = self.request(
             "cert",
diff --git a/runhouse/servers/http/http_server.py b/runhouse/servers/http/http_server.py
index 0f05f7317..03c549290 100644
--- a/runhouse/servers/http/http_server.py
+++ b/runhouse/servers/http/http_server.py
@@ -81,19 +81,9 @@ async def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
 
         func_call: bool = func.__name__ in ["post_call", "get_call"]
 
-        # restrict access for folder APIs
+        # restrict access for folder specific APIs
         access_level_required = (
-            ResourceAccess.WRITE
-            if func.__name__
-            in [
-                "folder_ls_cmd",
-                "folder_mkdir_cmd",
-                "folder_get_cmd",
-                "folder_put_cmd",
-                "folder_rm_cmd",
-                "folder_mv_cmd",
-            ]
-            else None
+            ResourceAccess.WRITE if func.__name__.startswith("folder") else None
         )
         token = get_token_from_request(request)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_resources/test_clusters/test_cluster.py b/tests/test_resources/test_clusters/test_cluster.py
index 147f1b490..2df900686 100644
--- a/tests/test_resources/test_clusters/test_cluster.py
+++ b/tests/test_resources/test_clusters/test_cluster.py
@@ -938,13 +938,14 @@ def test_cluster_mkdir_mv_and_rm(self, cluster):
 
         assert "new-folder" in [os.path.basename(f) for f in file_contents]
 
-        # Should not be able to mv to an existing directory unless `overwrite=True`
-        with pytest.raises(FileExistsError):
-            cluster._folder_mv(path="~/.rh/new-folder", dest_path="~/new-folder")
-
-        cluster._folder_mv(
-            path="~/.rh/new-folder", dest_path="~/new-folder", overwrite=True
-        )
+        # Should not be able to mv to an existing directory if `overwrite=False`
+        cluster._folder_mkdir(path="~/.rh/another-new-folder")
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            cluster._folder_mv(
+                path="~/.rh/another-new-folder",
+                dest_path="~/new-folder",
+                overwrite=False,
+            )
 
         # Delete folder contents and directory itself
         cluster._folder_rm(path="~/new-folder", recursive=True)