diff --git a/dotdrop/installer.py b/dotdrop/installer.py
index 4596c52..74ccad6 100644
--- a/dotdrop/installer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/installer.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import errno
 
 # local imports
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
-from dotdrop.comparator import Comparator
 from dotdrop.templategen import Templategen
 import dotdrop.utils as utils
 
@@ -275,7 +274,8 @@ class Installer:
         content = templater.generate(src)
         templater.restore_vars(saved)
         if noempty and utils.content_empty(content):
-            self.log.dbg('ignoring empty template: {}'.format(src))
+            if self.debug:
+                self.log.dbg('ignoring empty template: {}'.format(src))
             return False, None
         if content is None:
             err = 'empty template {}'.format(src)
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ class Installer:
                 if self.debug:
                     self.log.dbg('change detected for {}'.format(dst))
                 if self.showdiff:
-                    self._diff_before_write(src, dst)
+                    self._diff_before_write(src, dst, content=content)
                 if not self.log.ask('Overwrite \"{}\"'.format(dst)):
                     self.log.warn('ignoring {}'.format(dst))
                     return 1, None
@@ -404,11 +404,15 @@ class Installer:
         os.chmod(dst, rights)
         return 0, None
 
-    def _diff_before_write(self, src, dst):
+    def _diff_before_write(self, src, dst, content=None):
         """diff before writing when using --showdiff - not efficient"""
-        # create tmp to diff for templates
-        comp = Comparator(debug=self.debug)
-        diff = comp.compare(src, dst)
+        tmp = None
+        if content:
+            tmp = utils.write_to_tmpfile(content)
+            src = tmp
+        diff = utils.diff(src, dst, raw=False)
+        utils.remove(tmp, quiet=True)
+
         # fake the output for readability
         if not diff:
             return
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index 6825bd6..49b03a9 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -92,11 +92,15 @@ def get_unique_tmp_name():
     return os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), unique)
 
 
-def remove(path):
+def remove(path, quiet=False):
     """remove a file/directory/symlink"""
     if not os.path.lexists(path):
+        if quiet:
+            return
         raise OSError("File not found: {}".format(path))
     if os.path.normpath(os.path.expanduser(path)) in NOREMOVE:
+        if quiet:
+            return
         err = 'Dotdrop refuses to remove {}'.format(path)
         LOG.err(err)
         raise OSError(err)
@@ -105,6 +109,8 @@ def remove(path):
     elif os.path.isdir(path):
         rmtree(path)
     else:
+        if quiet:
+            return
         raise OSError("Unsupported file type for deletion: {}".format(path))