diff --git a/core/core.go b/core/core.go
index e0e8a2f98..2bd5672d1 100644
--- a/core/core.go
+++ b/core/core.go
@@ -114,22 +114,13 @@ func resetDirectories() {
 	log.Trace("Resetting file directories to a clean slate.")
 
 	// Wipe the public, web-accessible hls data directory
-	os.RemoveAll(config.PublicHLSStoragePath)
-	os.RemoveAll(config.PrivateHLSStoragePath)
-	err := os.MkdirAll(config.PublicHLSStoragePath, 0777)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalln(err)
-	}
-
-	err = os.MkdirAll(config.PrivateHLSStoragePath, 0777)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalln(err)
-	}
+	utils.CleanupDirectory(config.PublicHLSStoragePath)
+	utils.CleanupDirectory(config.PrivateHLSStoragePath)
 
 	// Remove the previous thumbnail
 	logo := data.GetLogoPath()
 	if utils.DoesFileExists(logo) {
-		err = utils.Copy(path.Join("data", logo), filepath.Join(config.WebRoot, "thumbnail.jpg"))
+		err := utils.Copy(path.Join("data", logo), filepath.Join(config.WebRoot, "thumbnail.jpg"))
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Warnln(err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/transcoder/utils.go b/core/transcoder/utils.go
index dc5d7ffbb..06376a835 100644
--- a/core/transcoder/utils.go
+++ b/core/transcoder/utils.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/owncast/owncast/config"
 	"github.com/owncast/owncast/core/data"
+	"github.com/owncast/owncast/utils"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -91,6 +92,9 @@ func handleTranscoderMessage(message string) {
 
 func createVariantDirectories() {
 	// Create private hls data dirs
+	utils.CleanupDirectory(config.PublicHLSStoragePath)
+	utils.CleanupDirectory(config.PrivateHLSStoragePath)
+	
 	if len(data.GetStreamOutputVariants()) != 0 {
 		for index := range data.GetStreamOutputVariants() {
 			err := os.MkdirAll(path.Join(config.PrivateHLSStoragePath, strconv.Itoa(index)), 0777)
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index b0f3a992e..5eecfd06c 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -226,3 +226,14 @@ func VerifyFFMpegPath(path string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Removes the directory and makes it again. Throws fatal error on failure.
+func CleanupDirectory(path string) {
+	log.Traceln("Cleaning", path)
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(path); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalln("Unable to remove directory. Please check the ownership and permissions", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path, 0777); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalln("Unable to create directory. Please check the ownership and permissions", err)
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file