diff --git a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler.java b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler.java
index 159a14facd..20710a20ad 100644
--- a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler.java
+++ b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler.java
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler<C extends SimpleRepository
     if (directory.exists())
     {
       fileSystem.destroy(directory);
+      cleanupEmptyDirectories(config.getRepositoryDirectory(),
+                              directory.getParentFile());
     }
     else if (logger.isWarnEnabled())
     {
@@ -436,6 +438,47 @@ public abstract class AbstractSimpleRepositoryHandler<C extends SimpleRepository
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @param baseDirectory
+   * @param directory
+   */
+  private void cleanupEmptyDirectories(File baseDirectory, File directory)
+  {
+    if (IOUtil.isChild(baseDirectory, directory))
+    {
+      if (IOUtil.isEmpty(directory))
+      {
+
+        // TODO use filesystem
+        if (directory.delete())
+        {
+          if (logger.isInfoEnabled())
+          {
+            logger.info("successfully deleted directory {}", directory);
+          }
+
+          cleanupEmptyDirectories(baseDirectory, directory.getParentFile());
+        }
+        else if (logger.isWarnEnabled())
+        {
+          logger.warn("could not delete directory {}", directory);
+        }
+      }
+      else if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+      {
+        logger.debug("could not remove non empty directory {}", directory);
+      }
+    }
+    else if (logger.isWarnEnabled())
+    {
+      logger.warn("directory {} is not a child of {}", directory,
+                  baseDirectory);
+    }
+  }
+
   //~--- fields ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
   /** Field description */
diff --git a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtil.java b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtil.java
index 4fa63f3d90..d3a0c546b9 100644
--- a/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtil.java
+++ b/scm-core/src/main/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtil.java
@@ -677,26 +677,50 @@ public class IOUtil
   }
 
   /**
-   * Method description
+   * Returns true if the second file parameter is a child of the first one.
    *
    *
-   * @param parent
-   * @param child
+   * @param parent parent file
+   * @param child chile file
    * @since 1.9
    *
-   * @return
+   * @return true if the second file parameter is a child of the first one
    *
    */
   public static boolean isChild(File parent, File child)
   {
+    boolean ischild = false;
+
     try
     {
-      return child.getCanonicalPath().startsWith(parent.getCanonicalPath());
+      String path = child.getCanonicalPath();
+      String parentPath = parent.getCanonicalPath();
+
+      if (!parentPath.equals(path))
+      {
+        ischild = path.startsWith(parentPath);
+      }
     }
     catch (IOException ex)
     {
       throw new RuntimeException(ex);
     }
+
+    return ischild;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the given directory is empty.
+   *
+   *
+   * @param directory directory to check
+   *
+   * @return true if the directory is empty
+   * @since 1.16
+   */
+  public static boolean isEmpty(File directory)
+  {
+    return Util.isEmpty(directory.listFiles());
   }
 
   //~--- methods --------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/scm-core/src/test/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtilTest.java b/scm-core/src/test/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtilTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..675fb68b23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scm-core/src/test/java/sonia/scm/util/IOUtilTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, Sebastian Sdorra All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
+ * this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 2. Redistributions in
+ * binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
+ * conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
+ * materials provided with the distribution. 3. Neither the name of SCM-Manager;
+ * nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
+ * derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+ * AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+ * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR
+ * ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+ * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+ * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ * http://bitbucket.org/sdorra/scm-manager
+ *
+ */
+
+
+
+package sonia.scm.util;
+
+//~--- non-JDK imports --------------------------------------------------------
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
+
+//~--- JDK imports ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author Sebastian Sdorra
+ */
+public class IOUtilTest
+{
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  @Test
+  public void testIsChild() throws IOException
+  {
+    assertTrue(isChild("/tmp/test", "/tmp/test/a"));
+    assertTrue(isChild("/tmp/test", "/tmp/test/a/b"));
+    assertTrue(isChild("/tmp/test", "/tmp/test/a/b/c"));
+    assertFalse(isChild("/tmp/test", "/tmp/test"));
+    assertFalse(isChild("/tmp/test", "/tmp"));
+    assertFalse(isChild("/tmp/test", "/"));
+    assertFalse(isChild("/tmp/test", "/asd"));
+    assertFalse(isChild("/tmp/test", "/asd/a/b"));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @param canonicalPath
+   *
+   * @return
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  private File createMockFile(String canonicalPath) throws IOException
+  {
+    File file = mock(File.class);
+
+    when(file.getCanonicalPath()).thenReturn(canonicalPath);
+
+    return file;
+  }
+
+  //~--- get methods ----------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /**
+   * Method description
+   *
+   *
+   * @param parentPath
+   * @param path
+   *
+   * @return
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  private boolean isChild(String parentPath, String path) throws IOException
+  {
+    return IOUtil.isChild(createMockFile(parentPath), createMockFile(path));
+  }
+}