diff --git a/src/apptask.js b/src/apptask.js
index 776c0cd99..9e6a91d06 100644
--- a/src/apptask.js
+++ b/src/apptask.js
@@ -125,16 +125,22 @@ async function deleteAppDir(app, options) {
 
     const resolvedAppDataDir = stat.isSymbolicLink() ? safe.fs.readlinkSync(appDataDir) : appDataDir;
 
+    debug(`deleteAppDir - removing files in ${resolvedAppDataDir}`);
+
     if (safe.fs.existsSync(resolvedAppDataDir)) {
         const entries = safe.fs.readdirSync(resolvedAppDataDir);
         if (!entries) throw new BoxError(BoxError.FS_ERROR, `Error listing ${resolvedAppDataDir}: ${safe.error.message}`);
 
-        // remove only files. directories inside app dir are currently volumes managed by the addons
-        // we cannot delete those dirs anyway because of perms
-        entries.forEach(function (entry) {
-            const stat = safe.fs.statSync(path.join(resolvedAppDataDir, entry));
-            if (stat && !stat.isDirectory()) safe.fs.unlinkSync(path.join(resolvedAppDataDir, entry));
-        });
+        // remove only files. any directories inside app dir are currently volumes managed by the addons
+            // besides, we cannot delete those dirs anyway because of perms
+        for (const entry of entries) {
+            const fullPath = path.join(resolvedAppDataDir, entry);
+            const stat = safe.fs.statSync(fullPath);
+            if (stat && !stat.isDirectory()) {
+                safe.fs.unlinkSync(fullPath);
+                debug(`deleteAppDir - ${fullPath} ${safe.error?.message || ''}`);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     // if this fails, it's probably because the localstorage/redis addons have not cleaned up properly
@@ -286,7 +292,7 @@ async function installCommand(app, args, progressCallback) {
     }
     await services.teardownAddons(app, addonsToRemove);
 
-    if (!restoreConfig || restoreConfig.remotePath) { // in-place import should not delete data dir
+    if (!restoreConfig || restoreConfig.remotePath || restoreConfig.backupId) { // install/import/restore but not in-place import should delete data dir
         await deleteAppDir(app, { removeDirectory: false }); // do not remove any symlinked appdata dir
     }