diff --git a/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/recorder/LocalRecorder.java b/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/recorder/LocalRecorder.java
index 91e27d62..d47385e2 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/recorder/LocalRecorder.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/recorder/LocalRecorder.java
@@ -792,24 +792,33 @@ public class LocalRecorder implements Recorder {
     // TODO maybe get file size and bitrate and check, if the values are plausible
     // we could also compare the length with the time elapsed since starting the recording
     private boolean deleteIfTooShort(Download download) {
-        long minimumLengthInSeconds = Config.getInstance().getSettings().minimumLengthInSeconds;
-        if(minimumLengthInSeconds <= 0) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
         try {
-            LOG.debug("Determining video length for {}", download.getTarget());
             File target = download.getTarget();
+            if(!target.exists()) {
+                return true;
+            }
+
             if(target.isDirectory()) {
-                if(!target.exists() || target.list() == null || target.list().length == 0) {
+                if(target.list() == null || target.list().length == 0) {
+                    deleteDirectory(target);
+                    deleteEmptyParents(target);
                     return true;
                 }
             } else {
-                if(!target.exists() || target.length() == 0) {
+                if(target.length() == 0) {
+                    Files.delete(target.toPath());
+                    deleteEmptyParents(target.getParentFile());
                     return true;
                 }
             }
 
+            long minimumLengthInSeconds = Config.getInstance().getSettings().minimumLengthInSeconds;
+            if(minimumLengthInSeconds <= 0) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            LOG.debug("Determining video length for {}", download.getTarget());
+
             double duration = 0;
             if(target.isDirectory()) {
                 File playlist = new File(target, "playlist.m3u8");