diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/ReadWrite.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/ReadWrite.kt
index b2bb58d93a1..94a56ccaf7b 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/ReadWrite.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/ReadWrite.kt
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ public fun Reader.readText(): String {
 }
 
 /**
- * Copies this reader to the given [out] writer, returning the number of bytes copied.
+ * Copies this reader to the given [out] writer, returning the number of characters copied.
  *
  * **Note** it is the caller's responsibility to close both of these resources.
  *
  * @param out writer to write to.
  * @param bufferSize size of character buffer to use in process.
- * @return number of bytes copies.
+ * @return number of characters copied.
  */
 public fun Reader.copyTo(out: Writer, bufferSize: Int = DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE): Long {
     var charsCopied: Long = 0
diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
index 43ab4b65292..4a9cb93fa44 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ private fun File.toRelativeStringOrNull(base: File): String? {
 
 
 /**
- * Copies this file to the given output [target], returning the number of bytes copied.
+ * Copies this file to the given [target] file.
  *
  * If some directories on a way to the [target] are missing, then they will be created.
  * If the [target] file already exists, this function will fail unless [overwrite] argument is set to `true`.
@@ -171,12 +171,12 @@ private fun File.toRelativeStringOrNull(base: File): String? {
  *
  * @param overwrite `true` if destination overwrite is allowed.
  * @param bufferSize the buffer size to use when copying.
- * @return the number of bytes copied or zero if the copied file was a directory.
+ * @return the [target] file.
  * @throws NoSuchFileException if the source file doesn't exist.
  * @throws FileAlreadyExistsException if the destination file already exists and 'rewrite' argument is set to `false`.
  * @throws IOException if any errors occur while copying.
  */
-public fun File.copyTo(target: File, overwrite: Boolean = false, bufferSize: Int = DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE): Long {
+public fun File.copyTo(target: File, overwrite: Boolean = false, bufferSize: Int = DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE): File {
     if (!this.exists()) {
         throw NoSuchFileException(file = this, reason = "The source file doesn't exist")
     }
@@ -194,16 +194,17 @@ public fun File.copyTo(target: File, overwrite: Boolean = false, bufferSize: Int
     if (this.isDirectory) {
         if (!target.mkdirs())
             throw FileSystemException(file = this, other = target, reason = "Failed to create target directory")
-        return 0
-    }
+    } else {
+        target.parentFile?.mkdirs()
 
-    target.parentFile?.mkdirs()
-
-    return this.inputStream().use { input ->
-        target.outputStream().use { output ->
-            input.copyTo(output, bufferSize)
+        this.inputStream().use { input ->
+            target.outputStream().use { output ->
+                input.copyTo(output, bufferSize)
+            }
         }
     }
+
+    return target
 }
 
 /**
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ public fun File.copyRecursively(target: File,
                 if (src.isDirectory) {
                     dstFile.mkdirs()
                 } else {
-                    if (src.copyTo(dstFile, overwrite) != src.length()) {
+                    if (src.copyTo(dstFile, overwrite).length() != src.length()) {
                         if (onError(src, IOException("src.length() != dst.length()")) == OnErrorAction.TERMINATE)
                             return false
                     }
diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt b/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
index e23e1dfb54c..db75007c52d 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package test.io
 
 import java.io.*
+import java.util.*
 import org.junit.Test as test
 import kotlin.io.walkTopDown
 import kotlin.test.*
@@ -362,14 +363,13 @@ class FilesTest {
                 srcFile.copyTo(dstFile)
             }
 
-            var len = srcFile.copyTo(dstFile, overwrite = true)
-            assertEquals(13L, len)
-            assertEquals(srcFile.readText(), dstFile.readText(Charsets.UTF_8), "copy with overwrite over existing file")
+            var dst = srcFile.copyTo(dstFile, overwrite = true)
+            assertTrue(dst === dstFile)
+            compareFiles(srcFile, dst, "copy with overwrite over existing file")
 
             assertTrue(dstFile.delete())
-            len = srcFile.copyTo(dstFile)
-            assertEquals(13L, len)
-            assertEquals(srcFile.readText(Charsets.UTF_8), dstFile.readText(), "copy to new file")
+            dst = srcFile.copyTo(dstFile)
+            compareFiles(srcFile, dst, "copy to new file")
 
             assertTrue(dstFile.delete())
             dstFile.mkdir()
@@ -476,14 +476,18 @@ class FilesTest {
         }
     }
 
+    fun compareFiles(src: File, dst: File, message: String? = null) {
+        assertTrue(dst.exists())
+        assertEquals(src.isFile, dst.isFile, message)
+        if (dst.isFile) {
+            assertTrue(Arrays.equals(src.readBytes(), dst.readBytes()), message)
+        }
+    }
+
     fun compareDirectories(src: File, dst: File) {
-        for (file in src.walkTopDown()) {
-            val dstFile = dst.resolve(file.relativeTo(src))
-            assertTrue(dstFile.exists())
-            assertEquals(file.isFile, dstFile.isFile)
-            if (dstFile.isFile) {
-                assertEquals(file.readText(), dstFile.readText())
-            }
+        for (srcFile in src.walkTopDown()) {
+            val dstFile = dst.resolve(srcFile.relativeTo(src))
+            compareFiles(srcFile, dstFile)
         }
     }