A method of purging cached open files from a client-side delayed close list on a remote file system. The remote file system stores a unique file identifier for each cached open file which is independent of the cached file's namespace. In response to a delete or rename command of a remote target file, the remote file system obtains a target file identifier from the target file's server. The remote file system then compares the target file identifier with each of the cached file's unique file identifier. If a cached file's unique file identifier matches the target file identifier, the cached file is purged from the delayed close list.