diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
index f9274b2c40b..a66160e4dd2 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/io/files/Utils.kt
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ public fun File.copyRecursively(dst: File,
  *
  * @return `true` if the file or directory is successfully deleted, `false` otherwise.
  */
-public fun File.deleteRecursively(): Boolean = walkBottomUp().fold(exists(), { res, it -> it.delete() && res })
+public fun File.deleteRecursively(): Boolean = walkBottomUp().fold(true, { res, it -> (it.delete() || !it.exists()) && res })
 
 /**
  * Returns an array of files and directories in the directory that match the specified [filter]
diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt b/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
index 41767d1b0cb..c83fe5417f7 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/test/io/Files.kt
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ class FilesTest {
 
         assertTrue(dir.deleteRecursively())
         assertFalse(dir.exists())
-        assertFalse(dir.deleteRecursively())
+        assertTrue(dir.deleteRecursively())
     }
 
     @test fun deleteRecursivelyWithFail() {
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ class FilesTest {
         try {
             if (restricted.setReadable(false)) {
                 if (File(basedir, "7.txt").setReadable(false)) {
-                    basedir.deleteRecursively()
+                    assertFalse(basedir.deleteRecursively(), "Expected incomplete recursive deletion.")
                     restricted.setReadable(true)
                     File(basedir, "7.txt").setReadable(true)
                     var i = 0