diff --git a/api/src/Vfs.php b/api/src/Vfs.php
index 174da52920..28ddad8015 100644
--- a/api/src/Vfs.php
+++ b/api/src/Vfs.php
@@ -723,23 +723,42 @@ class Vfs
 		return $value > (int) substr($argument,1);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Check if given directory is protected (user not allowed to remove or rename)
+	 *
+	 * Following directorys are protected:
+	 * - /
+	 * - /apps incl. subdirectories
+	 * - /home
+	 * - /templates incl. subdirectories
+	 *
+	 * @param string $dir path or url
+	 * @return boolean true for protected dirs, false otherwise
+	 */
+	static function isProtectedDir($dir)
+	{
+		if ($dir[0] != '/') $dir = self::parse_url($dir, PHP_URL_PATH);
+
+		return preg_match('#^/(apps(/[^/]+)?|home|templates(/[^/]+)?)?/*$#', $dir) > 0;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Recursiv remove all given url's, including it's content if they are files
 	 *
 	 * @param string|array $urls url or array of url's
 	 * @param boolean $allow_urls =false allow to use url's, default no only pathes (to stay within the vfs)
-	 * @throws Exception\AssertionFailed when trainig to remove /, /apps or /home
+	 * @throws Vfs\Exception\ProtectedDirectory if trying to delete a protected directory, see Vfs::isProtected()
 	 * @return array
 	 */
 	static function remove($urls,$allow_urls=false)
 	{
 		//error_log(__METHOD__.'('.array2string($urls).')');
-		// some precaution to never allow to (recursivly) remove /, /apps or /home
 		foreach((array)$urls as $url)
 		{
-			if (preg_match('/^\/?(home|apps|)\/*$/',self::parse_url($url,PHP_URL_PATH)))
+			// some precaution to never allow to (recursivly) remove /, /apps or /home, see Vfs::isProtected()
+			if (self::isProtectedDir($url))
 			{
-				throw new Exception\AssertionFailed(__METHOD__.'('.array2string($urls).") Cautiously rejecting to remove folder '$url'!");
+				throw new Vfs\Exception\ProtectedDirectory("Deleting protected directory '$url' rejected!");
 			}
 		}
 		return self::find($urls, array('depth'=>true,'url'=>$allow_urls,'hidden'=>true), __CLASS__.'::_rm_rmdir');
diff --git a/api/src/Vfs/Exception/ProtectedDirectory.php b/api/src/Vfs/Exception/ProtectedDirectory.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dcb30b9625
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/src/Vfs/Exception/ProtectedDirectory.php
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * EGroupware API - Exceptions
+ *
+ * @link http://www.egroupware.org
+ * @author Ralf Becker <RalfBecker-AT-outdoor-training.de>
+ * @license http://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php GPL - GNU General Public License
+ * @package vfs
+ * @subpackage exception
+ * @access public
+ * @version $Id$
+ */
+
+namespace EGroupware\Api\Vfs\Exception;
+
+/**
+ * User or code tried to delete or rename a protected directory, see Vfs::isProtectedDir
+ *
+ * This exception extends \Exception to not catch it accidently.
+ */
+class ProtectedDirectory extends \Exception { }
diff --git a/api/src/Vfs/StreamWrapper.php b/api/src/Vfs/StreamWrapper.php
index 2be32aa188..1316b13310 100644
--- a/api/src/Vfs/StreamWrapper.php
+++ b/api/src/Vfs/StreamWrapper.php
@@ -571,9 +571,14 @@ class StreamWrapper implements StreamWrapperIface
 	 * @param string $path_from
 	 * @param string $path_to
 	 * @return boolean TRUE on success or FALSE on failure
+	 * @throws Exception\ProtectedDirectory if trying to delete a protected directory, see Vfs::isProtected()
 	 */
 	function rename ( $path_from, $path_to )
 	{
+		if (Vfs::isProtectedDir($path_from))
+		{
+			throw new Exception\ProtectedDirectory("Renaming protected directory '$path_from' rejected!");
+		}
 		if (!($url_from = $this->resolve_url_symlinks($path_from,true,false)) ||
 			!($url_to = $this->resolve_url_symlinks($path_to,false)))
 		{
@@ -665,9 +670,14 @@ class StreamWrapper implements StreamWrapperIface
 	 * @param string $path
 	 * @param int $options Possible values include STREAM_REPORT_ERRORS.
 	 * @return boolean TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.
+	 * @throws Exception\ProtectedDirectory if trying to delete a protected directory, see Vfs::isProtected()
 	 */
 	function rmdir ( $path, $options )
 	{
+		if (Vfs::isProtectedDir($path))
+		{
+			throw new Exception\ProtectedDirectory("Deleting protected directory '$path' rejected!");
+		}
 		unset($options);	// not uses but required by function signature
 		if (!($url = $this->resolve_url_symlinks($path)))
 		{
diff --git a/api/src/Vfs/WebDAV.php b/api/src/Vfs/WebDAV.php
index bd5ea6121a..34e7630683 100644
--- a/api/src/Vfs/WebDAV.php
+++ b/api/src/Vfs/WebDAV.php
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class WebDAV extends HTTP_WebDAV_Server_Filesystem
 				$ret = !empty($deleted[$options['path']]);
 				//error_log(__METHOD__."() Vfs::remove($options[path]) returned ".array2string($deleted)." --> ".array2string($ret));
 			}
-			catch (\Exception $e) {
+			catch (Exception\ProtectedDirectory $e) {
 				return '403 Forbidden: '.$e->getMessage();
 			}
 		}
@@ -221,9 +221,14 @@ class WebDAV extends HTTP_WebDAV_Server_Filesystem
         }
 
         if ($del) {
-            if (!rename($source, $dest)) {
-                return "500 Internal server error";
-            }
+			try {
+				if (!rename($source, $dest)) {
+					return "500 Internal server error";
+				}
+			}
+			catch (Exception\ProtectedDirectory $e) {
+				return "403 Forbidden: ".$e->getMessage();
+			}
         } else {
             if (is_dir($source) && $options['depth'] == 'infinity') {
             	$files = Vfs::find($source,array('depth' => true,'url' => true));	// depth=true: return dirs first, url=true: allow urls!
diff --git a/filemanager/inc/class.filemanager_ui.inc.php b/filemanager/inc/class.filemanager_ui.inc.php
index 7befe41402..9f436514e2 100644
--- a/filemanager/inc/class.filemanager_ui.inc.php
+++ b/filemanager/inc/class.filemanager_ui.inc.php
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ class filemanager_ui
 			// some precaution to never allow to (recursivly) remove /, /apps or /home
 			foreach((array)$selected as $path)
 			{
-				if (preg_match('/^\/?(home|apps|)\/*$/',$path))
+				if (Vfs::isProtectedDir($path))
 				{
 					$errs++;
 					return lang("Cautiously rejecting to remove folder '%1'!",Vfs::decodePath($path));