diff --git a/monkey/infection_monkey/post_breach/shell_startup_files/windows/modify_powershell_startup_file.ps1 b/monkey/infection_monkey/post_breach/shell_startup_files/windows/modify_powershell_startup_file.ps1
index 72a925e52..864be5311 100644
--- a/monkey/infection_monkey/post_breach/shell_startup_files/windows/modify_powershell_startup_file.ps1
+++ b/monkey/infection_monkey/post_breach/shell_startup_files/windows/modify_powershell_startup_file.ps1
@@ -2,10 +2,25 @@ param (
     [string]$startup_file_path = $profile
 )
 
-If (!(Test-Path $startup_file_path)) {  # create profile.ps1 file if it doesn't exist already
-    New-Item -Path $startup_file_path -ItemType "file" -Force
+
+# check if paths exist already
+$startup_file_prev_exists = Test-Path $startup_file_path
+$startup_file_folder_path = ($startup_file_path -split '\\')[0..(($startup_file_path -split '\\').count -2)] -join '\'
+$startup_file_folder_prev_exists = Test-Path $startup_file_folder_path
+
+# carry out pba
+If (!($startup_file_prev_exists)) {  # create profile.ps1 file if it doesn't exist already
+    [Void](New-Item -Path $startup_file_path -ItemType "file" -Force)
 }
 Add-Content $startup_file_path "# Successfully modified $startup_file_path" ;  # add line to $Profile
 cat $startup_file_path | Select -last 1 ;  # print last line of $Profile
-$OldProfile = cat $startup_file_path | Select -skiplast 1 ;
-Set-Content $startup_file_path -Value $OldProfile ;
+$OldProfile = cat $startup_file_path | Select -skiplast 1 ;  # get file's original content
+Set-Content $startup_file_path -Value $OldProfile ;  # restore file's original content
+
+# cleanup
+If (!($startup_file_prev_exists)) {  # remove file if it didn't exist previously
+    Remove-Item -Path $startup_file_path -Force ;
+}
+If (!($startup_file_folder_prev_exists)) {  # remove folder if it didn't exist previously
+    Remove-Item -Path $startup_file_folder_path -Force -Recurse ;
+}