A ghosting filter on a computing device receives a read command for a requested range of data of a ghosted file. The requested range is categorized into first segments present in the ghosted file, second segments pending to be reconstituted from an alternate location to the ghosted file, and third segments that are not first or second segments. Reconstitution of any third segments is initiated to convert same to second, pending segments, and the read command is responded to with the requested range of the data once all second segments are in fact reconstituted from the alternate location to the ghosted file and thus converted to first, pending segments.