diff --git a/dotdrop/installer.py b/dotdrop/installer.py
index 613955c..9c89132 100644
--- a/dotdrop/installer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/installer.py
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ class Installer:
             # symlink
             ret, err = self._link(templater, src, dst,
                                   actionexec=actionexec,
-                                  is_template=is_template)
+                                  is_template=is_template,
+                                  ignore=ignore)
         elif linktype == LinkTypes.LINK_CHILDREN:
             # symlink direct children
             if not isdir:
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ class Installer:
         # but not when
         # - error (not r, err)
         # - aborted (not r, err)
-        if (ret or (not ret and not err)):
+        if os.path.exists(dst) and (ret or (not ret and not err)):
             if not chmod:
                 chmod = utils.get_file_perm(src)
             dstperms = utils.get_file_perm(dst)
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ class Installer:
     ########################################################
 
     def _link(self, templater, src, dst, actionexec=None,
-              is_template=True):
+              is_template=True, ignore=None):
         """
         install link:link
 
@@ -259,7 +260,8 @@ class Installer:
             ret, err = self.install(templater, src, tmp,
                                     LinkTypes.NOLINK,
                                     actionexec=actionexec,
-                                    is_template=is_template)
+                                    is_template=is_template,
+                                    ignore=ignore)
             if not ret and not os.path.exists(tmp):
                 return ret, err
             src = tmp
@@ -324,7 +326,8 @@ class Installer:
                 ret2, err2 = self.install(templater, subsrc, tmp,
                                           LinkTypes.NOLINK,
                                           actionexec=actionexec,
-                                          is_template=is_template)
+                                          is_template=is_template,
+                                          ignore=ignore)
                 if not ret2 and err2 and not os.path.exists(tmp):
                     continue
                 subsrc = tmp
@@ -488,11 +491,6 @@ class Installer:
         # default to nothing installed and no error
         ret = False, None
 
-        # create the directory anyway
-        if not self._create_dirs(dst):
-            err = 'creating directory for {}'.format(dst)
-            return False, err
-
         # handle all files in dir
         for entry in os.listdir(src):
             fpath = os.path.join(src, entry)
@@ -532,6 +530,7 @@ class Installer:
     @classmethod
     def _write_content_to_file(cls, content, src, dst):
         """write content to file"""
+
         if content:
             # write content the file
             try:
@@ -680,8 +679,6 @@ class Installer:
             self.log.dry('would mkdir -p {}'.format(directory))
             return True
         self.log.dbg('mkdir -p {}'.format(directory))
-        if not self.comparing:
-            self.log.sub('create directory {}'.format(directory))
 
         os.makedirs(directory, exist_ok=True)
         return os.path.exists(directory)
diff --git a/tests-ng/actions-empty-dir.sh b/tests-ng/actions-empty-dir.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6e4d8de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/actions-empty-dir.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+#
+# test pre/post/naked actions
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+set -ev
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+hash coverage 2>/dev/null && bin="coverage run -a --source=dotdrop -m dotdrop.dotdrop" || true
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "$(tput setaf 6)==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==$(tput sgr0)"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# the action temp
+tmpa=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+# the dotfile source
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+actions:
+  clearemptydir: find -L '{0}' -empty -xtype d -delete
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_dir1:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/dir1
+    src: dir1
+    ignoreempty: true
+    actions:
+      - clearemptydir ${tmpd}/dir1
+    instignore:
+      - '*ignore'
+  f_dir2:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/dir2
+    src: dir2
+    link: link_children
+    ignoreempty: true
+    actions:
+      - clearemptydir ${tmpd}/dir2
+    instignore:
+      - '*ignore'
+  f_dir3:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/dir3
+    src: dir3
+    link: link
+    ignoreempty: true
+    actions:
+      - clearemptydir ${tmpd}/dir3
+    instignore:
+      - '*ignore'
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_dir1
+    - f_dir2
+    - f_dir3
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfile
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/empty
+echo "to-ignore" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/empty/this.ignore
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/not-empty
+echo "file" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/not-empty/file
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub/empty
+echo "to-ignore-too" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub/empty/that.ignore
+
+# create the dotfile
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/empty/this.ignore
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/not-empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/not-empty/file
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/sub
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/sub/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir2/sub/empty/that.ignore
+
+# create the dotfile
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/empty/this.ignore
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/not-empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/not-empty/file
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/sub
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/sub/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir3/sub/empty/that.ignore
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
+
+# checks normal
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir1 ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir1/empty/this.ignore ] && exit 1
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty ] && exit 1
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty/file ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/sub ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/sub/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir1/sub/empty/that.ignore ] && exit 1
+grep "file" ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty/file
+
+# checks link_children
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir2 ] && exit 1
+[ ! -h ${tmpd}/dir2/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir2/empty/this.ignore ] && exit 1
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir2/not-empty ] && exit 1
+[ ! -h ${tmpd}/dir2/not-empty ] && exit 1
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/dir2/not-empty/file ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir2/sub ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir2/sub/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir2/sub/empty/that.ignore ] && exit 1
+grep "p1" ${tmpd}/dir2/not-empty/file
+
+# checks link
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir3 ] && exit 1
+[ ! -h ${tmpd}/dir3 ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir3/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir3/empty/this.ignore ] && exit 1
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir3/not-empty ] && exit 1
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/dir3/not-empty/file ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir3/sub ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir3/sub/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir3/sub/empty/that.ignore ] && exit 1
+grep "p1" ${tmpd}/dir3/not-empty/file
+
+# second install won't trigger the action
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V  # 2>&1 | tee ${tmpa}/log
+
+# check normal
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/sub/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+
+# check link_children
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir2/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir2/sub/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+
+# check link
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir3/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir3/sub/empty ] && echo "empty directory not cleaned" && exit 1
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd} ${tmpa}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0
diff --git a/tests-ng/install-link-children.sh b/tests-ng/install-link-children.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..fa0d10a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/install-link-children.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+#
+# test link_dotfile_default
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+set -ev
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+hash coverage 2>/dev/null && bin="coverage run -a --source=dotdrop -m dotdrop.dotdrop" || true
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "$(tput setaf 6)==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==$(tput sgr0)"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# the dotfile source
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+#echo "dotfile destination: ${tmpd}"
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+  link_dotfile_default: nolink
+dotfiles:
+  d_dir1:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/dir1
+    src: dir1
+    link: link_children
+    instignore:
+      - '*ignore'
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - d_dir1
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfile
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/empty/this.ignore
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/not-empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/not-empty/file
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub
+mkdir ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub/empty
+echo "{{@@ profile @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/dir1/sub/empty/that.ignore
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# check normal
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir1 ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/empty ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/sub ] && exit 1
+[ -d ${tmpd}/dir1/sub/empty ] && exit 1
+[ ! -d ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty ] && exit 1
+
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty/file ] && exit 1
+
+# ignored files
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir1/empty/this.ignore ] && exit 1
+[ -e ${tmpd}/dir1/sub/empty/that.ignore ] && exit 1
+
+grep "p1" ${tmpd}/dir1/not-empty/file
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0
diff --git a/tests-ng/transformations.sh b/tests-ng/transformations.sh
index 470e63e..93d18f6 100755
--- a/tests-ng/transformations.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/transformations.sh
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ echo ${tokend} > ${tmpx}/a/somefile
 echo ${tokend} > ${tmpx}/b/somefile
 echo ${tokend} > ${tmpx}/c/somefile
 echo ${tokend} > ${tmpx}/a/dir1/otherfile
+# create a fake file to ensure dir is created
+echo ${tokend} > ${tmpx}/a/dir2/token
 tar -cf ${tmps}/dotfiles/ghi -C ${tmpx} .
 rm -rf ${tmpx}
 tar -tf ${tmps}/dotfiles/ghi