diff --git a/src/apptask.js b/src/apptask.js
index 876b60464..cf6225c41 100644
--- a/src/apptask.js
+++ b/src/apptask.js
@@ -147,11 +147,12 @@ function createVolume(app, callback) {
     shell.sudo('createVolume', [ CREATEAPPDIR_CMD, app.id ], callback);
 }
 
-function deleteVolume(app, callback) {
+function deleteVolume(app, options, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof app, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof options, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    shell.sudo('deleteVolume', [ RMAPPDIR_CMD, app.id ], callback);
+    shell.sudo('deleteVolume', [ RMAPPDIR_CMD, app.id, !!options.removeDirectory ], callback);
 }
 
 function addCollectdProfile(app, callback) {
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ function install(app, callback) {
         deleteContainers.bind(null, app),
         // oldConfig can be null during upgrades
         addons.teardownAddons.bind(null, app, app.oldConfig ? app.oldConfig.manifest.addons : app.manifest.addons),
-        deleteVolume.bind(null, app),
+        deleteVolume.bind(null, app, { removeDirectory: false }), // do not remove any symlinked volume
 
         // for restore case
         function deleteImageIfChanged(done) {
@@ -663,7 +664,7 @@ function uninstall(app, callback) {
         addons.teardownAddons.bind(null, app, app.manifest.addons),
 
         updateApp.bind(null, app, { installationProgress: '40, Deleting volume' }),
-        deleteVolume.bind(null, app),
+        deleteVolume.bind(null, app, { removeDirectory: true }),
 
         updateApp.bind(null, app, { installationProgress: '50, Deleting image' }),
         docker.deleteImage.bind(null, app.manifest),
diff --git a/src/scripts/rmappdir.sh b/src/scripts/rmappdir.sh
index 4ace439c4..28cc93b60 100755
--- a/src/scripts/rmappdir.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/rmappdir.sh
@@ -17,10 +17,17 @@ if [[ "$1" == "--check" ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
+appid="$1"
+rmdir="$2"
+
 if [[ "${BOX_ENV}" == "cloudron" ]]; then
-    readonly app_data_dir="${HOME}/appsdata/$1"
+    readonly app_data_dir="${HOME}/appsdata/${appid}"
+else
+    readonly app_data_dir="${HOME}/.cloudron_test/appsdata/${appid}"
+fi
+
+if [[ "${rmdir}" == "true" ]]; then
     rm -rf "${app_data_dir}"
 else
-    readonly app_data_dir="${HOME}/.cloudron_test/appsdata/$1"
-    rm -rf "${app_data_dir}"
+    find "${app_data_dir}" -mindepth 1 -delete
 fi
diff --git a/src/test/apptask-test.js b/src/test/apptask-test.js
index a46fd59e7..dc3e43c49 100644
--- a/src/test/apptask-test.js
+++ b/src/test/apptask-test.js
@@ -138,9 +138,19 @@ describe('apptask', function () {
         });
     });
 
-    it('delete volume', function (done) {
-        apptask._deleteVolume(APP, function (error) {
+    it('delete volume - removeDirectory (false) ', function (done) {
+        apptask._deleteVolume(APP, { removeDirectory: false }, function (error) {
             expect(!fs.existsSync(paths.APPS_DATA_DIR + '/' + APP.id + '/data')).to.be(true);
+            expect(fs.existsSync(paths.APPS_DATA_DIR + '/' + APP.id)).to.be(true);
+            expect(fs.readdirSync(paths.APPS_DATA_DIR + '/' + APP.id).length).to.be(0); // empty
+            expect(error).to.be(null);
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('delete volume - removeDirectory (true) ', function (done) {
+        apptask._deleteVolume(APP, { removeDirectory: true }, function (error) {
+            expect(!fs.existsSync(paths.APPS_DATA_DIR + '/' + APP.id)).to.be(true);
             expect(error).to.be(null);
             done();
         });