diff --git a/timmy/cli.py b/timmy/cli.py
index 1737085..daa4c53 100755
--- a/timmy/cli.py
+++ b/timmy/cli.py
@@ -92,8 +92,13 @@ def main(argv=None):
                         level=loglevel,
                         format='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(message)s')
     conf = load_conf(args.conf)
-    if args.command or args.file or conf['shell_mode']:
+    if args.command or args.file:
         conf['shell_mode'] = True
+    if conf['shell_mode']:
+        # set clean to True if not defined in config
+        if conf['clean'] is None:
+            conf['clean'] = True
+        filter = conf['hard_filter']
         # config cleanup for shell mode
         for k in Node.conf_actionable:
             conf[k] = [] if k in Node.conf_appendable else None
@@ -104,8 +109,6 @@ def main(argv=None):
             conf[Node.ckey] = [{'stdout': args.command}]
         if args.file:
             conf[Node.fkey] = args.file
-    if conf['shell_mode']:
-        filter = conf['hard_filter']
     else:
         filter = conf['soft_filter']
     if args.role:
diff --git a/timmy/conf.py b/timmy/conf.py
index 7ae3b93..01ba8c3 100644
--- a/timmy/conf.py
+++ b/timmy/conf.py
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ def load_conf(filename):
     place specified by conf['outdir'], archive will also be created and put
     in a place specified by conf['archives'].'''
     conf['shell_mode'] = False
+    '''Clean - erase previous results in outdir and archives dir, if any.
+    Enabled by default for shell mode. Set to True or False to override.'''
+    conf['clean'] = None
     if filename:
         conf_extra = load_yaml_file(filename)
         conf.update(**conf_extra)
diff --git a/timmy/nodes.py b/timmy/nodes.py
index 179ceaa..e153751 100644
--- a/timmy/nodes.py
+++ b/timmy/nodes.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ main module
 import flock
 import json
 import os
+import shutil
 import logging
 import sys
 import re
@@ -222,8 +223,9 @@ class Node(object):
         logging.info('get_files: node: %s, IP: %s' % (self.id, self.ip))
         sn = 'node-%s' % self.id
         cl = 'cluster-%s' % self.cluster
-        ddir = os.path.join(odir, Node.fkey, cl, sn)
-        tools.mdir(ddir)
+        if self.files or self.filelists:
+            ddir = os.path.join(odir, Node.fkey, cl, sn)
+            tools.mdir(ddir)
         if self.shell_mode:
             for file in self.files:
                 outs, errs, code = tools.get_file_scp(ip=self.ip,
@@ -244,11 +246,12 @@ class Node(object):
                     logging.error('could not read file: %s' % fname)
             data += '\n'.join(self.files)
             logging.debug('node: %s, data:\n%s' % (self.id, data))
-            outs, errs, code = tools.get_files_rsync(ip=self.ip,
-                                                     data=data,
-                                                     ssh_opts=self.ssh_opts,
-                                                     dpath=ddir,
-                                                     timeout=self.timeout)
+            if data:
+                o, e, c = tools.get_files_rsync(ip=self.ip,
+                                                data=data,
+                                                ssh_opts=self.ssh_opts,
+                                                dpath=ddir,
+                                                timeout=self.timeout)
             check_code(code)
 
     def logs_populate(self, timeout=5):
@@ -305,12 +308,15 @@ class NodeManager(object):
 
     def __init__(self, conf, extended=False, filename=None):
         self.conf = conf
-        self.rqdir = conf['rqdir'].rstrip('/')
+        if conf['clean']:
+            shutil.rmtree(conf['outdir'], ignore_errors=True)
+            shutil.rmtree(conf['archives'], ignore_errors=True)
         if not conf['shell_mode']:
+            self.rqdir = conf['rqdir']
+            if (not os.path.exists(self.rqdir)):
+                logging.error("directory %s doesn't exist" % (self.rqdir))
+                sys.exit(1)
             self.import_rq()
-        if (not os.path.exists(self.rqdir)):
-            logging.error("directory %s doesn't exist" % (self.rqdir))
-            sys.exit(1)
         if (conf['fuelip'] is None) or (conf['fuelip'] == ""):
             logging.error('looks like fuelip is not set(%s)' % conf['fuelip'])
             sys.exit(7)