diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
index ff35d268a93f..3cc664b7b6c3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/datamodel/FileDataStorageManager.java
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
 import com.nextcloud.model.ShareeEntry;
 import com.nextcloud.utils.date.DateFormatPattern;
 import com.nextcloud.utils.extensions.DateExtensionsKt;
+import com.nextcloud.utils.extensions.FileExtensionsKt;
+import com.nextcloud.utils.extensions.StringExtensionsKt;
 import com.owncloud.android.MainApp;
 import com.owncloud.android.db.ProviderMeta.ProviderTableMeta;
 import com.owncloud.android.lib.common.network.WebdavEntry;
@@ -912,26 +914,36 @@ public boolean removeFile(OCFile ocFile, boolean removeDBData, boolean removeLoc
     }
 
     private boolean removeLocalCopyIfNeeded(OCFile ocFile, boolean removeLocalCopy, boolean removeDBData) {
-        String localPath = ocFile.getStoragePath();
-
         if (!removeLocalCopy) {
-            Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: removeLocalCopy=false");
+            Log_OC.w(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: removeLocalCopy=false");
             return true;
         }
 
-        if (!ocFile.isDown()) {
-            Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: file not downloaded -> skip");
+        String localPath = ocFile.getStoragePath();
+        final var file = FileExtensionsKt.toFile(localPath);
+        if (file == null) {
+            Log_OC.w(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: file exists -> skip");
             return true;
         }
 
-        if (localPath == null) {
-            Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: localPath is null -> skip");
+        if (ocFile.isFolder()) {
+            Log_OC.w(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: file is folder -> skip");
             return true;
         }
 
-        Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: deleting local file -> " + localPath);
+        String expectedPath = FileStorageUtils.getDefaultSavePathFor(user.getAccountName(), ocFile);
+        if (!localPath.equalsIgnoreCase(expectedPath)) {
+            Log_OC.w(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: Path mismatch! Expected " + expectedPath
+                + " but found " + localPath + ". Skipping deletion to prevent data loss.");
+        }
 
-        boolean success = new File(localPath).delete();
+        Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: deleting local file -> " + localPath);
+        boolean success = false;
+        try {
+            success = new File(expectedPath).delete();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            Log_OC.e(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: deletion error: ", e);
+        }
         Log_OC.d(TAG, "removeLocalCopyIfNeeded: file deletion result=" + success);
 
         if (!success) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
index c31e21a6a48d..4d1d7c1019ec 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/utils/FileStorageUtils.java
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ public static String getSavePath(String accountName) {
      * Get local path where OCFile file is to be stored after upload. That is,
      * corresponding local path (in local owncloud storage) to remote uploaded
      * file.
+     * <p>
+     * e.g. /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.nextcloud.client/nextcloud/admin@example.cloud/folder/file.txt
      */
     public static String getDefaultSavePathFor(String accountName, OCFile file) {
         return getSavePath(accountName) + file.getDecryptedRemotePath();