diff --git a/dotdrop/comparator.py b/dotdrop/comparator.py
index 121de2a..3f2893b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/comparator.py
+++ b/dotdrop/comparator.py
@@ -40,9 +40,27 @@ class Comparator:
             ignore = []
         local_path = os.path.expanduser(local_path)
         deployed_path = os.path.expanduser(deployed_path)
+
         self.log.dbg(f'comparing \"{local_path}\" and \"{deployed_path}\"')
         self.log.dbg(f'ignore pattern(s): {ignore}')
 
+        return self._compare(local_path, deployed_path,
+                             ignore=ignore, mode=mode,
+                             recurse=True)
+
+    def _compare(self, local_path, deployed_path,
+                 ignore=None, mode=None,
+                 recurse=False):
+        if not ignore:
+            ignore = []
+
+        # test existence
+        if not os.path.exists(local_path):
+            return f'=> \"{local_path}\" does not exist on destination\n'
+        if not self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop:
+            if not os.path.exists(deployed_path):
+                return f'=> \"{deployed_path}\" does not exist in dotdrop\n'
+
         # test type of file
         if os.path.isdir(local_path) and not os.path.isdir(deployed_path):
             ret = f'\"{local_path}\" is a dir'
@@ -53,7 +71,7 @@ class Comparator:
             ret += f' while \"{deployed_path}\" is a dir\n'
             return ret
 
-        # test content
+        # is a file
         if not os.path.isdir(local_path):
             self.log.dbg(f'{local_path} is a file')
             ret = self._comp_file(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
@@ -61,9 +79,11 @@ class Comparator:
                 ret = self._comp_mode(local_path, deployed_path, mode=mode)
             return ret
 
+        # is a directory
         self.log.dbg(f'\"{local_path}\" is a directory')
-
-        ret = self._comp_dir(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
+        ret = ''
+        if recurse:
+            ret = self._comp_dir(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
         if not ret:
             ret = self._comp_mode(local_path, deployed_path, mode=mode)
         return ret
@@ -95,7 +115,7 @@ class Comparator:
                                debug=self.debug):
             self.log.dbg(f'ignoring diff {local_path} and {deployed_path}')
             return ''
-        return self._diff(local_path, deployed_path)
+        return self._diff(local_path, deployed_path, header=True)
 
     def _comp_dir(self, local_path, deployed_path, ignore):
         """compare a directory"""
@@ -114,7 +134,7 @@ class Comparator:
         if not os.path.isdir(deployed_path):
             return f'\"{deployed_path}\" is a file\n'
 
-        # return self._compare_dirs(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
+        #return self._compare_dirs(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
         return self._compare_dirs2(local_path, deployed_path, ignore)
 
     def _compare_dirs2(self, local_path, deployed_path, ignore):
@@ -126,11 +146,13 @@ class Comparator:
         deploy_tree = FTreeDir(deployed_path, ignores=ignore, debug=self.debug)
         lonly, ronly, common = local_tree.compare(deploy_tree)
 
+        for i in lonly:
+            path = os.path.join(local_path, i)
+            ret.append(f'=> \"{path}\" does not exist on destination\n')
         if not self.ignore_missing_in_dotdrop:
-            for i in lonly:
-                ret.append(f'=> \"{i}\" does not exist on destination\n')
-        for i in ronly:
-            ret.append(f'=> \"{i}\" does not exist in dotdrop\n')
+            for i in ronly:
+                path = os.path.join(deployed_path, i)
+                ret.append(f'=> \"{path}\" does not exist in dotdrop\n')
 
         # test for content difference
         # and mode difference
@@ -138,14 +160,10 @@ class Comparator:
         for i in common:
             source_file = os.path.join(local_path, i)
             deployed_file = os.path.join(deployed_path, i)
-            diff = self._diff(source_file, deployed_file, header=True)
-            if diff:
-                ret.append(diff)
-                continue
-            ret = self._comp_mode(local_path, deployed_path)
-            if ret:
-                short = os.path.basename(source_file)
-                ret.append(f'=> different type: \"{short}\"\n')
+            subret = self._compare(source_file, deployed_file,
+                                   ignore=None, mode=None,
+                                   recurse=False)
+            ret.extend(subret)
 
         return ''.join(ret)
 
@@ -230,7 +248,7 @@ class Comparator:
         """diff two files"""
         out = diff(modified=local_path, original=deployed_path,
                    diff_cmd=self.diff_cmd, debug=self.debug)
-        if header:
+        if header and out:
             lshort = os.path.basename(local_path)
             out = f'=> diff \"{lshort}\":\n{out}'
         return out
diff --git a/dotdrop/ftree.py b/dotdrop/ftree.py
index 7bd5222..cd1b220 100644
--- a/dotdrop/ftree.py
+++ b/dotdrop/ftree.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ from dotdrop.utils import must_ignore
 
 
 class FTreeDir:
-    """directory tree for comparison"""
+    """
+    directory tree for comparison
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, path, ignores=None, debug=False):
         self.path = path
@@ -24,14 +26,27 @@ class FTreeDir:
             self._walk()
 
     def _walk(self):
-        for root, _, files in os.walk(self.path):
+        """
+        index directory
+        ignore empty directory
+        test for ignore pattern
+        """
+        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(self.path):
             for file in files:
                 fpath = os.path.join(root, file)
                 if must_ignore([fpath], ignores=self.ignores,
                                debug=self.debug):
                     continue
                 self.entries.append(fpath)
-        self.entries.sort()
+            for dname in dirs:
+                dpath = os.path.join(root, dname)
+                if len(os.listdir(dpath)) < 1:
+                    # ignore empty directory
+                    continue
+                if must_ignore([dpath], ignores=self.ignores,
+                               debug=self.debug):
+                    continue
+                self.entries.append(dpath)
 
     def compare(self, other):
         """
@@ -39,8 +54,11 @@ class FTreeDir:
         - left_only (only in self)
         - right_only (only in other)
         - in_both (in both)
+        the relative path are returned
         """
-        left_only = set(self.entries) - set(other.entries)
-        right_only = set(other.entries) - set(self.entries)
-        in_both = set(self.entries) & set(other.entries)
+        left = [os.path.relpath(entry, self.path) for entry in self.entries]
+        right = [os.path.relpath(entry, other.path) for entry in other.entries]
+        left_only = set(left) - set(right)
+        right_only = set(right) - set(left)
+        in_both = set(left) & set(right)
         return list(left_only), list(right_only), list(in_both)
diff --git a/tests-ng/chmod-compare.sh b/tests-ng/chmod-compare.sh
index 3a0d2db..9f1d446 100755
--- a/tests-ng/chmod-compare.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/chmod-compare.sh
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ _EOF
 cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} install -f -c "${cfg}" -p p1
 
 # compare
+echo "compare after install..."
 cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" -p p1
 
 # import
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ chmod 700 "${fnormal}"
 chmod 700 "${flink}"
 
 set +e
+cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" -p p1 -V
 out=$(cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" -p p1 2>&1)
 cnt=$(echo "${out}" | grep 'modes differ' | wc -l)
 set -e
diff --git a/tests-ng/compare-negative-ignore-relative.sh b/tests-ng/compare-negative-ignore-relative.sh
index 211da70..d2daf19 100755
--- a/tests-ng/compare-negative-ignore-relative.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/compare-negative-ignore-relative.sh
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" --verbose --ignore="${patt0}" --igno
 [ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
 cnt=$(cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" --ignore="${patt0}" --ignore=${patt1} | grep '^=> diff' | wc -l)
 set -e
-
-[ "${cnt}" != "2" ] && echo "bad number of diffs: ${cnt}/2" && exit 1
+[ "${cnt}" != "2" ] && echo "bad number of diffs (1): ${cnt}/2" && exit 1
 
 ########################################
 # Test ignores specified in config.yaml
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" --verbose -C "${tmpd}"/.zsh --ignore
 cnt=$(cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg}" -C "${tmpd}"/.zsh --ignore="${patt0}" --ignore=${patt1} | grep 'does not exist in dotdrop$' | wc -l)
 set -e
 
-[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "bad number of diffs: ${cnt}/1" && exit 1
+[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "bad number of diffs (2): ${cnt}/1" && exit 1
 
 # expects one diff
 echo "[+] comparing .zsh with ignore in dotfile - expect 1 diff"
@@ -111,6 +110,6 @@ cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg2}" --verbose -C "${tmpd}"/.zsh
 cnt=$(cd "${ddpath}" | ${bin} compare -c "${cfg2}" -C "${tmpd}"/.zsh | grep 'does not exist in dotdrop$' | wc -l)
 set -e
 
-[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "bad number of diffs: ${cnt}/1" && exit 1
+[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "bad number of diffs (3): ${cnt}/1" && exit 1
 
 echo "OK"