diff --git a/src/cleanup.go b/src/cleanup.go
index 89015c0..b4d8cb8 100644
--- a/src/cleanup.go
+++ b/src/cleanup.go
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@ package croc
 import (
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func (c *Croc) cleanup() {
+	c.cleanupTime = true
+	time.Sleep(250 * time.Millisecond) // race condition, wait for
+	// sending/receiving to finish
 	// erase all the croc files and their possible numbers
 	for i := 0; i < 16; i++ {
 		fname := c.crocFile + "." + strconv.Itoa(i)
diff --git a/src/client.go b/src/client.go
index b1d5ee5..1219d7a 100644
--- a/src/client.go
+++ b/src/client.go
@@ -531,6 +531,9 @@ func (c *Croc) receiveFile(filename string, id int, connection net.Conn) error {
 	var receivedBytes int64
 	receivedFirstBytes := false
 	for {
+		if c.cleanupTime {
+			break
+		}
 		if (chunkSize - receivedBytes) < bufferSize {
 			log.Debugf("%d at the end: %d < %d", id, (chunkSize - receivedBytes), bufferSize)
 			io.CopyN(newFile, connection, (chunkSize - receivedBytes))
@@ -558,13 +561,13 @@ func (c *Croc) sendFile(filename string, id int, connection net.Conn) error {
 
 	// open encrypted file chunk, if it exists
 	log.Debug("opening encrypted file chunk: " + filename)
-	defer os.Remove(filename)
 	file, err := os.Open(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err)
 		return nil
 	}
 	defer file.Close()
+	defer os.Remove(filename)
 
 	// determine and send the file size to client
 	fi, err := file.Stat()
@@ -590,6 +593,9 @@ func (c *Croc) sendFile(filename string, id int, connection net.Conn) error {
 	sendBuffer := make([]byte, bufferSize)
 	totalBytesSent := 0
 	for range throttle.C {
+		if c.cleanupTime {
+			break
+		}
 		_, err := file.Read(sendBuffer)
 		written, _ := connection.Write(sendBuffer)
 		totalBytesSent += written
@@ -607,7 +613,5 @@ func (c *Croc) sendFile(filename string, id int, connection net.Conn) error {
 	}
 	log.Debug("file is sent")
 	log.Debug("removing piece")
-	os.Remove(filename)
-
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/src/models.go b/src/models.go
index 814e567..cea06f8 100644
--- a/src/models.go
+++ b/src/models.go
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ type Croc struct {
 	crocFileEncrypted string
 	// bothConnected
 	bothConnected bool
+	// cleanupTime tells processes to close up
+	cleanupTime bool
 }
 
 // Init will initialize the croc relay