diff --git a/src/staging.c b/src/staging.c
index df7ebad2..09a4f7d1 100644
--- a/src/staging.c
+++ b/src/staging.c
@@ -40,16 +40,13 @@
 static int create_staging_renamedir(char *rename_tmpdir)
 {
 	int ret;
-	char *rmcommand = NULL;
 
-	string_or_die(&rmcommand, "rm -fr %s", rename_tmpdir);
-	if (!system(rmcommand)) {
+	if (rm_rf(rename_tmpdir) != 0) {
 		/* Not fatal but pretty scary, likely to really fail at the
 		 * next command too. Pass for now as printing may just cause
 		 * confusion */
 		;
 	}
-	free_string(&rmcommand);
 
 	ret = mkdir(rename_tmpdir, S_IRWXU);
 	if (ret == -1 && errno != EEXIST) {
diff --git a/src/sys.c b/src/sys.c
index 74b00167..5508b2fd 100644
--- a/src/sys.c
+++ b/src/sys.c
@@ -152,3 +152,8 @@ int mkdir_p(const char *dir)
 {
 	return run_command_quiet("/bin/mkdir", "-p", dir, NULL);
 }
+
+int rm_rf(const char *file)
+{
+	return run_command_quiet("/bin/rm", "-rf", file, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/src/sys.h b/src/sys.h
index cdea3fd9..bea67959 100644
--- a/src/sys.h
+++ b/src/sys.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ int copy(const char *src, const char *dst);
 
 int mkdir_p(const char *dir);
 
+int rm_rf(const char *file);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif