diff --git a/plugins/modules/purefa_snap.py b/plugins/modules/purefa_snap.py
index 2a371b07..51783ce1 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/purefa_snap.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/purefa_snap.py
@@ -823,6 +823,13 @@ def main():
         update_snapshot(module, array)
     elif state == "copy" and snap:
         create_from_snapshot(module, array)
+    elif state == "copy" and not snap:
+        snapname = module.params["name"] + "." + module.params["suffix"]
+        module.fail_json(
+            msg="Snapshot {0} not found. Cannot copy non-existent snapshot.".format(
+                snapname
+            )
+        )
     elif state == "absent" and snap and not destroyed:
         delete_snapshot(module, array)
     elif state == "absent" and destroyed and module.params["eradicate"]:
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_purefa_snap.py b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_purefa_snap.py
index 1d7eb9da..6be85890 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_purefa_snap.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_purefa_snap.py
@@ -1507,3 +1507,56 @@ def test_eradicate_snapshot_local_no_context(self, mock_lv, mock_check_response)
 
         mock_array.delete_volume_snapshots.assert_called_once()
         mock_module.exit_json.assert_called_once_with(changed=True)
+
+
+class TestStateCopySnapshotNotFound:
+    """Test cases for state=copy when snapshot does not exist (issue #978)"""
+
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap.get_deleted_snapshot")
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap.get_snapshot")
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap.get_volume")
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap._check_target")
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap.get_array")
+    @patch("plugins.modules.purefa_snap.AnsibleModule")
+    def test_state_copy_snapshot_not_found_fails(
+        self,
+        mock_ansible_module,
+        mock_get_array,
+        mock_check_target,
+        mock_get_volume,
+        mock_get_snapshot,
+        mock_get_deleted_snapshot,
+    ):
+        """Test that state=copy fails with error when snapshot doesn't exist"""
+        from plugins.modules.purefa_snap import main
+
+        mock_module = Mock()
+        mock_module.params = {
+            "name": "test-volume",
+            "suffix": "snap1",
+            "target": "new-volume",
+            "state": "copy",
+            "offload": None,
+            "context": "",
+            "overwrite": True,
+            "eradicate": False,
+        }
+        mock_module.check_mode = False
+        mock_ansible_module.return_value = mock_module
+
+        mock_array = Mock()
+        mock_array.get_rest_version.return_value = "2.38"
+        mock_get_array.return_value = mock_array
+
+        mock_check_target.return_value = True
+        mock_get_volume.return_value = Mock()  # Volume exists
+        mock_get_snapshot.return_value = False  # Snapshot does NOT exist
+        mock_get_deleted_snapshot.return_value = False  # Not in trash either
+
+        main()
+
+        # Should fail with error message about snapshot not found
+        mock_module.fail_json.assert_called_once()
+        call_args = mock_module.fail_json.call_args
+        assert "test-volume.snap1" in call_args[1]["msg"]
+        assert "not found" in call_args[1]["msg"].lower()