diff --git a/src/common.cpp b/src/common.cpp
index 2a0f82f..71d5f70 100644
--- a/src/common.cpp
+++ b/src/common.cpp
@@ -52,24 +52,22 @@ bool createDirTree(const string &full_path)
     return ret;
 }
 
-bool fileExists(const string& name)
-{
-    return access(name.c_str(), F_OK) != -1;
-}
-
 vector<string> lsFilesInDir(const string &path, const string &ext)
 {
     vector<string> names;
 
-    for (auto &entry : directory_iterator(path))
+    if (exists(path))
     {
-        if (entry.is_regular_file())
+        for (auto &entry : directory_iterator(path))
         {
-            auto name = entry.path().filename().string();
-
-            if (ext.empty() || name.ends_with(ext))
+            if (entry.is_regular_file())
             {
-                names.push_back(name);
+                auto name = entry.path().filename().string();
+
+                if (ext.empty() || name.ends_with(ext))
+                {
+                    names.push_back(name);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -83,11 +81,14 @@ vector<string> lsDirsInDir(const string &path)
 {
     vector<string> names;
 
-    for (auto &entry : directory_iterator(path))
+    if (exists(path))
     {
-        if (entry.is_directory())
+        for (auto &entry : directory_iterator(path))
         {
-            names.push_back(entry.path().filename().string());
+            if (entry.is_directory())
+            {
+                names.push_back(entry.path().filename().string());
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -112,7 +113,11 @@ void enforceMaxClips(const string &dirPath, shared_t *share)
 {
     auto names = lsDirsInDir(dirPath);
 
-    while ((names.size() * 3) > ((share->maxClips - 1) * 3))
+    // note: this function assumes all video clips are accompanied by
+    //       .html and .jpg files of the same name, hence why it *3
+    //       the max names in the directory and *3 the file deletion.
+
+    while (names.size() > ((share->maxClips - 1) * 3))
     {
         remove(string(cleanDir(dirPath) + "/" + names[0]).c_str());
         remove(string(cleanDir(dirPath) + "/" + names[1]).c_str());
@@ -233,8 +238,11 @@ bool rdConf(shared_t *share)
 
         if (share->init)
         {
-            remove_all(share->buffDir.c_str());
-
+            if (exists(share->buffDir))
+            {
+                remove_all(share->buffDir);
+            }
+            
             share->init = false;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 34b9301..d673bfc 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ using namespace cv;
 using namespace std;
 using namespace std::filesystem;
 
-#define APP_VER  "1.5.t8"
+#define APP_VER  "1.5.t9"
 #define APP_NAME "Motion Watch"
 
 struct shared_t
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ string         cleanDir(const string &path);
 string         parseForParam(const string &arg, int argc, char** argv, bool argOnly);
 bool           createDir(const string &dir);
 bool           createDirTree(const string &full_path);
-bool           fileExists(const string& name);
 void           enforceMaxDays(const string &dirPath, shared_t *share);
 void           enforceMaxClips(const string &dirPath, shared_t *share);
 void           rdLine(const string &param, const string &line, string *value);
diff --git a/src/logger.cpp b/src/logger.cpp
index 279232c..bbecd07 100644
--- a/src/logger.cpp
+++ b/src/logger.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,12 @@ void detLog(const string &line, shared_t *share)
 
 void enforceMaxLogSize(const string &filePath, shared_t *share)
 {
-    if (file_size(filePath) >= share->maxLogSize)
+    if (exists(filePath))
     {
-        remove(filePath);
+        if (file_size(filePath) >= share->maxLogSize)
+        {
+            remove(filePath);
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ void initLogFile(const string &filePath, ofstream &fileObj)
 {
     if (!fileObj.is_open())
     {
-        if (!fileExists(filePath))
+        if (!exists(filePath))
         {
             system(string("touch " + filePath).c_str());
         }
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index a0c8b64..4113479 100755
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ void detectLoop(shared_t *share)
             else
             {
                 detLog("no motion detected in file: " + fullPath + " removing it.", share);
-                remove(fullPath.c_str());
+
+                if (exists(fullPath))
+                {
+                    remove(fullPath);
+                }
             }
         }
         else