diff --git a/core/controllers/items.php b/core/controllers/items.php
index 6cf27fbf..6ba7db65 100644
--- a/core/controllers/items.php
+++ b/core/controllers/items.php
@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ class Items_Controller extends REST_Controller {
     $parent = $item->parent();
     if ($parent->id) {
       module::event("{$item->type}_before_delete", $item);
+
       $item->delete();
+      file::unlink($item->file_path());
     }
 
     url::redirect("{$parent->type}s/{$parent->id}");
diff --git a/core/helpers/MY_file.php b/core/helpers/MY_file.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89e81204
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/helpers/MY_file.php
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.");
+/**
+ * Gallery - a web based photo album viewer and editor
+ * Copyright (C) 2000-2008 Bharat Mediratta
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
+ * your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street - Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ */
+class file extends file_Core {
+  public function unlink($path) {
+    // @todo create a unit test
+    if (is_file($path) && is_writable($path)) {
+      return @unlink($path);
+    } else if (is_dir($path) && is_writable($path)) {
+      foreach (new DirectoryIterator($path) as $resource) {
+        if ($resource->isDot()) {
+          unset($resource);
+          continue;
+        } else if ($resource->isFile()) {
+          self::unlink($resource->getPathName());
+        } else if ($resource->isDir()) {
+          self::unlink($resource->getRealPath());
+        }
+        unset($resource);
+      }
+      return @rmdir($path);
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+
+}
diff --git a/core/tests/File_Helper_Test.php b/core/tests/File_Helper_Test.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd71aabb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/tests/File_Helper_Test.php
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.");
+/**
+ * Gallery - a web based photo album viewer and editor
+ * Copyright (C) 2000-2008 Bharat Mediratta
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
+ * your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street - Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ */
+class File_Helper_Test extends Unit_Test_Case {
+  public function remove_file_test() {
+    $filename = tempnam(VARPATH . "albums", "file");
+    touch($filename);
+
+    file::unlink($filename);
+    $this->assert_boolean(!file_exists($filename), "File not deleted");
+  }
+
+  public function remove_album_test() {
+    $dirname = (VARPATH . "albums/testdir");
+    mkdir($dirname, 0777, true);
+
+    $filename = tempnam($dirname, "file");
+    touch($filename);
+
+    file::unlink($dirname);
+    $this->assert_boolean(!file_exists($filename), "File not deleted");
+    $this->assert_boolean(!file_exists($dirname), "Directory not deleted");
+  }
+}