diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/apps.py b/tubearchivist/home/apps.py
index 6ae55559..ef98c800 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/apps.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/apps.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from home.src.es.connect import ElasticWrap
 from home.src.es.index_setup import index_check
 from home.src.es.snapshot import ElasticSnapshot
 from home.src.ta.config import AppConfig as ArchivistConfig
+from home.src.ta.helper import clear_dl_cache
 from home.src.ta.ta_redis import RedisArchivist
 
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ class StartupCheck:
         print("run startup checks")
         self.es_version_check()
         self.release_lock()
+        clear_dl_cache(self.config_handler.config)
         index_check()
         self.sync_redis_state()
         self.set_redis_conf()
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/helper.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/helper.py
index 8e51e3ef..68d49b88 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/helper.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/ta/helper.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ Loose collection of helper functions
 - don't import AppConfig class here to avoid circular imports
 """
 
+import os
 import random
 import re
 import string
@@ -117,6 +118,15 @@ def time_parser(timestamp):
     return int(hours) * 60 * 60 + int(minutes) * 60 + float(seconds)
 
 
+def clear_dl_cache(config):
+    """clear leftover files from dl cache"""
+    print("clear download cache")
+    cache_dir = os.path.join(config["application"]["cache_dir"], "download")
+    for cached in os.listdir(cache_dir):
+        to_delete = os.path.join(cache_dir, cached)
+        os.remove(to_delete)
+
+
 class UrlListParser:
     """take a multi line string and detect valid youtube ids"""
 
diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py b/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
index ae8e43e9..7bd4dea8 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/tasks.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from home.src.index.filesystem import (
     scan_filesystem,
 )
 from home.src.ta.config import AppConfig, ScheduleBuilder
-from home.src.ta.helper import UrlListParser
+from home.src.ta.helper import UrlListParser, clear_dl_cache
 from home.src.ta.ta_redis import RedisArchivist, RedisQueue
 
 CONFIG = AppConfig().config
@@ -192,11 +192,7 @@ def kill_dl(task_id):
     _ = RedisArchivist().del_message("dl_queue_id")
     RedisQueue().clear()
 
-    # clear cache
-    cache_dir = os.path.join(CONFIG["application"]["cache_dir"], "download")
-    for cached in os.listdir(cache_dir):
-        to_delete = os.path.join(cache_dir, cached)
-        os.remove(to_delete)
+    clear_dl_cache(CONFIG)
 
     # notify
     mess_dict = {