diff --git a/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh b/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
index 1be748e..6cabc69 100755
--- a/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
+++ b/.gitlab/script/ghcup_version.sh
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ fi
 eghcup upgrade
 eghcup upgrade -f
 
+# test that doing fishy symlinks into GHCup dir doesn't cause weird stuff on 'ghcup nuke'
 mkdir no_nuke/
 mkdir no_nuke/bar
 echo 'foo' > no_nuke/file
diff --git a/lib/GHCup.hs b/lib/GHCup.hs
index 05b23e1..505ea2b 100644
--- a/lib/GHCup.hs
+++ b/lib/GHCup.hs
@@ -1809,7 +1809,7 @@ rmGHCVer ver = do
     Just files -> do
       lift $ logInfo $ "Removing files safely from: " <> T.pack dir
       forM_ files (lift . recycleFile . (\f -> dir </> dropDrive f))
-      removeEmptyDirsRecursive (liftIO . removeEmptyDirectory) dir
+      removeEmptyDirsRecursive dir
       survivors <- liftIO $ hideErrorDef [doesNotExistErrorType] [] $ listDirectory dir
       f <- recordedInstallationFile GHC ver
       lift $ recycleFile f
@@ -1893,7 +1893,7 @@ rmHLSVer ver = do
     Just files -> do
       lift $ logInfo $ "Removing files safely from: " <> T.pack hlsDir
       forM_ files (lift . recycleFile . (\f -> hlsDir </> dropDrive f))
-      removeEmptyDirsRecursive (liftIO . removeEmptyDirectory) hlsDir
+      removeEmptyDirsRecursive hlsDir
       survivors <- liftIO $ hideErrorDef [doesNotExistErrorType] [] $ listDirectory hlsDir
       f <- recordedInstallationFile HLS (mkTVer ver)
       lift $ recycleFile f
@@ -2049,7 +2049,7 @@ rmGhcupDirs = do
     logInfo $ "removing " <> T.pack (fromGHCupPath baseDir </> "msys64")
     handleRm $ rmPathForcibly (baseDir `appendGHCupPath` "msys64")
 
-  handleRm $ removeEmptyDirsRecursive removeDirIfEmptyOrIsSymlink (fromGHCupPath baseDir)
+  handleRm $ removeEmptyDirsRecursive (fromGHCupPath baseDir)
 
   -- report files in baseDir that are left-over after
   -- the standard location deletions above
diff --git a/lib/GHCup/Utils/File.hs b/lib/GHCup/Utils/File.hs
index 4aeec14..2bc8a04 100644
--- a/lib/GHCup/Utils/File.hs
+++ b/lib/GHCup/Utils/File.hs
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ mergeFileTree sourceBase destBase tool v' copyOp = do
     hideError NoSuchThing $ rmFile recFile
     logDebug $ "rm -f " <> T.pack (fromInstallDir destBase)
     hideError UnsatisfiedConstraints $ hideError NoSuchThing $
-      removeEmptyDirsRecursive (hideError UnsatisfiedConstraints . liftIO . removeEmptyDirectory) (fromInstallDir destBase)
+      removeEmptyDirsRecursive (fromInstallDir destBase)
 
 
   recordInstalledFile f recFile = when (isSafeDir destBase) $
@@ -223,13 +223,13 @@ removeDirIfEmptyOrIsSymlink filepath =
       then rmFileForce fp
       else liftIO $ ioError e
 
-removeEmptyDirsRecursive :: (MonadMask m, MonadIO m, MonadCatch m) => (FilePath -> m ()) -> FilePath -> m ()
-removeEmptyDirsRecursive rmOpt = go
+removeEmptyDirsRecursive :: (MonadMask m, MonadIO m, MonadCatch m) => FilePath -> m ()
+removeEmptyDirsRecursive = go
  where
   go fp = do
     cs <- liftIO $ listDirectory fp >>= filterM doesDirectoryExist . fmap (fp </>)
     forM_ cs go
-    hideError InappropriateType $ rmOpt fp
+    liftIO $ removeEmptyDirectory fp
 
 rmFileForce :: (MonadMask m, MonadIO m) => FilePath -> m ()
 rmFileForce filepath = do