diff --git a/swh/file.py b/swh/file.py
index 0221907..982868f 100644
--- a/swh/file.py
+++ b/swh/file.py
@@ -1,43 +1,47 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2015  Stefano Zacchiroli <zack@upsilon.cc>,
 #                     Antoine R. Dumont <antoine.romain.dumont@gmail.com>
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import logging
 import shutil
+import os
 
 from swh import proc
 
 
 def touch(path):
     """Create an empty file.
     """
     logging.info('Create temporary file %s' % path)
     open(path, 'a').close()
 
 
 def rsync(host, access_command, from_folder, to_folder):
     """Execute a rsync action from a source from to a to_folder over the host.
     """
     return proc.execute(['rsync',
                          '-az',
                          '--delete',
                          '-e',
                          access_command,
                          '--relative',
                          from_folder,
                          '%s:%s' % (host, to_folder)])
 
 
 def rm(folder):
     """Remove a folder from the local filesystem.
     """
-    logging.info('task cleanup %s' % folder)
-    shutil.rmtree(folder)
+    if os.path.exists(folder):
+        logging.info('task cleanup %s' % folder)
+        shutil.rmtree(folder)
+    else:
+        logging.info('Folder %s does not exist. Nothing to clean up.' % folder)
 
 
 def count_size_in_bytes(folder):
     """Compute the bytes size of a folder.
     """
     return int(proc.execute(['du', '-bs', folder]).split()[0])