diff --git a/weed/filer/filer.go b/weed/filer/filer.go
index 105c8e04f..5510645cd 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filer.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filer.go
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func (f *Filer) FindEntry(ctx context.Context, p util.FullPath) (entry *Entry, e
 	entry, err = f.Store.FindEntry(ctx, p)
 	if entry != nil && entry.TtlSec > 0 {
 		if entry.Crtime.Add(time.Duration(entry.TtlSec) * time.Second).Before(time.Now()) {
-			f.Store.DeleteEntry(ctx, p.Child(entry.Name()))
+			f.Store.DeleteOneEntry(ctx, entry)
 			return nil, filer_pb.ErrNotFound
 		}
 	}
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func (f *Filer) doListDirectoryEntries(ctx context.Context, p util.FullPath, sta
 		lastFileName = entry.Name()
 		if entry.TtlSec > 0 {
 			if entry.Crtime.Add(time.Duration(entry.TtlSec) * time.Second).Before(time.Now()) {
-				f.Store.DeleteEntry(ctx, p.Child(entry.Name()))
+				f.Store.DeleteOneEntry(ctx, entry)
 				expiredCount++
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/weed/filer/filer_delete_entry.go b/weed/filer/filer_delete_entry.go
index 4415d45d9..22580dbe4 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filer_delete_entry.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filer_delete_entry.go
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (f *Filer) doDeleteEntryMetaAndData(ctx context.Context, entry *Entry, shou
 
 	glog.V(3).Infof("deleting entry %v, delete chunks: %v", entry.FullPath, shouldDeleteChunks)
 
-	if storeDeletionErr := f.Store.DeleteEntry(ctx, entry.FullPath); storeDeletionErr != nil {
+	if storeDeletionErr := f.Store.DeleteOneEntry(ctx, entry); storeDeletionErr != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("filer store delete: %v", storeDeletionErr)
 	}
 	if !entry.IsDirectory() {
diff --git a/weed/filer/filerstore.go b/weed/filer/filerstore.go
index 11e30878d..3ad7a787e 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filerstore.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filerstore.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type FilerStore interface {
 type VirtualFilerStore interface {
 	FilerStore
 	DeleteHardLink(ctx context.Context, hardLinkId HardLinkId) error
+	DeleteOneEntry(ctx context.Context, entry *Entry) error
 }
 
 type FilerStoreWrapper struct {
@@ -145,6 +146,23 @@ func (fsw *FilerStoreWrapper) DeleteEntry(ctx context.Context, fp util.FullPath)
 	return fsw.ActualStore.DeleteEntry(ctx, fp)
 }
 
+func (fsw *FilerStoreWrapper) DeleteOneEntry(ctx context.Context, existingEntry *Entry) (err error) {
+	stats.FilerStoreCounter.WithLabelValues(fsw.ActualStore.GetName(), "delete").Inc()
+	start := time.Now()
+	defer func() {
+		stats.FilerStoreHistogram.WithLabelValues(fsw.ActualStore.GetName(), "delete").Observe(time.Since(start).Seconds())
+	}()
+
+	if len(existingEntry.HardLinkId) != 0 {
+		// remove hard link
+		if err = fsw.DeleteHardLink(ctx, existingEntry.HardLinkId); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return fsw.ActualStore.DeleteEntry(ctx, existingEntry.FullPath)
+}
+
 func (fsw *FilerStoreWrapper) DeleteFolderChildren(ctx context.Context, fp util.FullPath) (err error) {
 	stats.FilerStoreCounter.WithLabelValues(fsw.ActualStore.GetName(), "deleteFolderChildren").Inc()
 	start := time.Now()