diff --git a/mysql_xtrabackup.sh b/mysql_xtrabackup.sh
index 1dcc93a..5a24cc4 100755
--- a/mysql_xtrabackup.sh
+++ b/mysql_xtrabackup.sh
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ if [ `ls -t ${dir} | grep ${prefix} | wc -l` -ge "${copies}" ] ; then
 	
     for filename in `ls ${dir} | grep ${prefix} | sort -r` ; do
 		if [ "${i}" -ge "${copies}" ] ; then
-			rm "${dir}/${filename}" ;
+			rm -fr "${dir}/${filename}" ;
 		fi
 		i=$(expr $i + 1) ;
 	done