diff --git a/lib/Db/File.php b/lib/Db/File.php
index 7f0dcfddf4..feaa9ab80b 100644
--- a/lib/Db/File.php
+++ b/lib/Db/File.php
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@
  * @method void setId(int $id)
  * @method int getId()
  * @method void setNodeId(?int $nodeId)
- * @method int getNodeId()
- * @method void setSignedNodeId(int $nodeId)
+ * @method ?int getNodeId()
+ * @method void setSignedNodeId(?int $nodeId)
  * @method ?int getSignedNodeId()
- * @method void setSignedHash(string $hash)
+ * @method void setSignedHash(?string $hash)
  * @method ?string getSignedHash()
- * @method void setUserId(string $userId)
+ * @method void setUserId(?string $userId)
  * @method ?string getUserId()
- * @method void setSignRequestId(int $signRequestId)
+ * @method void setSignRequestId(?int $signRequestId)
  * @method ?int getSignRequestId()
  * @method void setUuid(string $uuid)
  * @method string getUuid()
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
  * @method ?int getParentFileId()
  */
 class File extends Entity {
-	protected int $nodeId = 0;
+	protected ?int $nodeId = null;
 	protected string $uuid = '';
 	protected ?\DateTime $createdAt = null;
 	protected string $name = '';
diff --git a/lib/Db/FileMapper.php b/lib/Db/FileMapper.php
index 4d5024ec6d..a02a628cbb 100644
--- a/lib/Db/FileMapper.php
+++ b/lib/Db/FileMapper.php
@@ -220,44 +220,6 @@ public function getFilesOfAccount(string $userId): array {
 		return $return;
 	}
 
-	public function getDeletionContext(int $nodeId): array {
-		$fullOuterJoin = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
-		$fullOuterJoin->select($fullOuterJoin->expr()->literal(1));
-
-		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
-		$qb
-			->selectAlias('f.id', 'file_id')
-			->selectAlias('sf.id', 'signed_file_id')
-			->selectAlias('ue.id', 'user_element_id')
-			->selectAlias('fe.file_id', 'file_element_file_id')
-			->from($qb->createFunction('(' . $fullOuterJoin->getSQL() . ')'), 'foj')
-			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_file', 'f', $qb->expr()->eq('f.node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
-			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_file', 'sf', $qb->expr()->eq('sf.signed_node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
-			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_user_element', 'ue', $qb->expr()->eq('ue.node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
-			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_file_element', 'fe', $qb->expr()->eq('fe.file_id', 'f.id'))
-			->setMaxResults(1);
-
-		$row = $qb->executeQuery()->fetch();
-		if (!$row) {
-			return ['type' => 'not_libresign_file', 'fileId' => null];
-		}
-
-		if (!empty($row['signed_file_id'])) {
-			return ['type' => 'signed_file', 'fileId' => (int)$row['signed_file_id']];
-		}
-		if (!empty($row['file_id'])) {
-			return ['type' => 'file', 'fileId' => (int)$row['file_id']];
-		}
-		if (!empty($row['user_element_id'])) {
-			return ['type' => 'user_element', 'fileId' => null];
-		}
-		if (!empty($row['file_element_file_id'])) {
-			return ['type' => 'file_element', 'fileId' => (int)$row['file_element_file_id']];
-		}
-
-		return ['type' => 'not_libresign_file', 'fileId' => null];
-	}
-
 	public function getTextOfStatus(int|FileStatus $status): string {
 		if (is_int($status)) {
 			$status = FileStatus::from($status);
diff --git a/lib/Listener/BeforeNodeDeletedListener.php b/lib/Listener/BeforeNodeDeletedListener.php
index ab476f501c..5df627c7d7 100644
--- a/lib/Listener/BeforeNodeDeletedListener.php
+++ b/lib/Listener/BeforeNodeDeletedListener.php
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@
 
 namespace OCA\Libresign\Listener;
 
-use OCA\Libresign\Db\FileMapper;
+use OCA\Libresign\Enum\FileStatus;
 use OCA\Libresign\Helper\ValidateHelper;
-use OCA\Libresign\Service\RequestSignatureService;
 use OCP\DB\QueryBuilder\IQueryBuilder;
 use OCP\EventDispatcher\Event;
 use OCP\EventDispatcher\IEventListener;
 use OCP\Files\Cache\CacheEntryRemovedEvent;
 use OCP\Files\Events\Node\BeforeNodeDeletedEvent;
 use OCP\Files\File;
+use OCP\Files\Folder;
 use OCP\IDBConnection;
 
 /**
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
  */
 class BeforeNodeDeletedListener implements IEventListener {
 	public function __construct(
-		private FileMapper $fileMapper,
-		private RequestSignatureService $requestSignatureService,
 		private IDBConnection $db,
 	) {
 	}
@@ -33,53 +31,177 @@ public function __construct(
 	public function handle(Event $event): void {
 		if ($event instanceof BeforeNodeDeletedEvent) {
 			$node = $event->getNode();
-			if (!$node instanceof File) {
+			if (!$node instanceof File && !$node instanceof Folder) {
 				return;
 			}
-			if (!in_array($node->getMimeType(), ValidateHelper::VALID_MIMETIPE)) {
+			if ($node instanceof File && !in_array($node->getMimeType(), ValidateHelper::VALID_MIMETIPE)) {
 				return;
 			}
-			$nodeId = $node->getId();
-			$this->delete($nodeId);
+
+			$this->deleteAllByNodeId($node->getId());
 			return;
 		}
+
 		if ($event instanceof CacheEntryRemovedEvent) {
-			$this->delete($event->getFileId());
+			$this->deleteAllByNodeId($event->getFileId());
 		}
-		return;
 	}
 
-	private function delete(int $nodeId): void {
-		$context = $this->fileMapper->getDeletionContext($nodeId);
-		if ($context['type'] === 'not_libresign_file') {
+	private function deleteAllByNodeId(int $nodeId): void {
+		if ($this->handleSignedFileDeleted($nodeId)) {
 			return;
 		}
-		switch ($context['type']) {
-			case 'signed_file':
-				if (!isset($context['fileId'])) {
-					return;
-				}
-				$this->requestSignatureService->deleteRequestSignature(['file' => ['fileId' => $context['fileId']]]);
-				break;
-			case 'file':
-				$libresignFile = $this->fileMapper->getByNodeId($nodeId);
-				$this->requestSignatureService->deleteRequestSignature(['file' => ['fileId' => $libresignFile->getId()]]);
-				$this->fileMapper->delete($libresignFile);
-				break;
-			case 'user_element':
-				$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
-				$qb->delete('libresign_user_element')
-					->where($qb->expr()->eq('node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
-					->executeStatement();
-				break;
-			case 'file_element':
-				if (!isset($context['fileId'])) {
-					return;
+
+		$fullOuterJoin = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$fullOuterJoin->select($fullOuterJoin->expr()->literal(1));
+
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb
+			->selectAlias('current.id', 'file_id')
+			->selectAlias('current.metadata', 'file_metadata')
+			->selectAlias('current.signed_node_id', 'current_signed_node_id')
+			->selectAlias('parent.id', 'parent_id')
+			->selectAlias('children.id', 'child_id')
+			->selectAlias('ue.id', 'user_element_id')
+			->selectAlias('fe.file_id', 'file_element_file_id')
+			->from($qb->createFunction('(' . $fullOuterJoin->getSQL() . ')'), 'foj')
+			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_file', 'current', $qb->expr()->eq('current.node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->leftJoin('current', 'libresign_file', 'parent', $qb->expr()->eq('parent.id', 'current.parent_file_id'))
+			->leftJoin('current', 'libresign_file', 'children', $qb->expr()->eq('children.parent_file_id', 'current.id'))
+			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_user_element', 'ue', $qb->expr()->eq('ue.node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->leftJoin('foj', 'libresign_file_element', 'fe', $qb->expr()->eq('fe.file_id', 'current.id'));
+
+		$cursor = $qb->executeQuery();
+
+		$deletedFiles = [];
+		$deletedUserElements = false;
+		$deletedFileElements = [];
+
+		while ($row = $cursor->fetch()) {
+			if (!empty($row['user_element_id']) && !$deletedUserElements) {
+				$deletedUserElements = true;
+				$this->deleteUserElement($nodeId);
+			}
+
+			if (!empty($row['file_element_file_id']) && !isset($deletedFileElements[$row['file_element_file_id']])) {
+				$deletedFileElements[(int)$row['file_element_file_id']] = true;
+				$this->deleteFileElement((int)$row['file_element_file_id']);
+			}
+
+			if (!empty($row['file_id']) && !isset($deletedFiles[$row['file_id']])) {
+				$deletedFiles[(int)$row['file_id']] = true;
+				$this->markOriginalFileAsDeleted((int)$row['file_id'], isset($row['file_metadata']) ? (string)$row['file_metadata'] : null);
+			}
+		}
+		$cursor->closeCursor();
+	}
+
+	private function handleSignedFileDeleted(int $nodeId): bool {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->select('id', 'node_id', 'signed_node_id')
+			->from('libresign_file')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('signed_node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)));
+
+		$files = $qb->executeQuery()->fetchAll();
+
+		foreach ($files as $file) {
+			$fileId = (int)$file['id'];
+			$this->deleteSigningData($fileId);
+			$this->detachSignedFile($fileId);
+		}
+
+		return !empty($files);
+	}
+
+	private function markOriginalFileAsDeleted(int $fileId, ?string $metadataJson = null): void {
+		$existingMetadata = [];
+
+		if ($metadataJson !== null && $metadataJson !== '') {
+			try {
+				$decoded = json_decode($metadataJson, true, 512, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
+				if (is_array($decoded)) {
+					$existingMetadata = $decoded;
 				}
-				$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
-				$qb->delete('libresign_file_element')
-					->where($qb->expr()->eq('file_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($context['fileId'], IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
-					->executeStatement();
+			} catch (\Throwable $e) {
+			}
+		}
+
+		$existingMetadata['original_file_deleted'] = true;
+		$existingMetadata['original_file_deleted_at'] = (new \DateTime('now', new \DateTimeZone('UTC')))->format(\DateTime::ATOM);
+
+		$update = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$update->update('libresign_file')
+			->set('node_id', $update->createNamedParameter(null, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_NULL))
+			->set('metadata', $update->createNamedParameter(json_encode($existingMetadata), IQueryBuilder::PARAM_STR))
+			->where($update->expr()->eq('id', $update->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function detachSignedFile(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->update('libresign_file')
+			->set('signed_node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter(null, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_NULL))
+			->set('status', $qb->createNamedParameter(FileStatus::DRAFT->value, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT))
+			->set('signed_hash', $qb->createNamedParameter(null, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_NULL))
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteUserElement(int $nodeId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->delete('libresign_user_element')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('node_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($nodeId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteFileElement(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->delete('libresign_file_element')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('file_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteSigningData(int $fileId): void {
+		$this->deleteIdentifyMethods($fileId);
+		$this->deleteSignRequests($fileId);
+		$this->deleteIdDocs($fileId);
+		$this->deleteFileElement($fileId);
+	}
+
+	private function deleteIdentifyMethods(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->select('id')
+			->from('libresign_sign_request')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('file_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)));
+		$cursor = $qb->executeQuery();
+
+		while ($row = $cursor->fetch()) {
+			$delete = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+			$delete->delete('libresign_identify_method')
+				->where($delete->expr()->eq('sign_request_id', $delete->createNamedParameter($row['id'], IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+				->executeStatement();
 		}
+		$cursor->closeCursor();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteSignRequests(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->delete('libresign_sign_request')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('file_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteIdDocs(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->delete('libresign_id_docs')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('file_id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
+	}
+
+	private function deleteFile(int $fileId): void {
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->delete('libresign_file')
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('id', $qb->createNamedParameter($fileId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)))
+			->executeStatement();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib/Migration/Version17000Date20260106000000.php b/lib/Migration/Version17000Date20260106000000.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e5314c507a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Migration/Version17000Date20260106000000.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 LibreCode coop and contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace OCA\Libresign\Migration;
+
+use Closure;
+use OCP\DB\ISchemaWrapper;
+use OCP\Migration\IOutput;
+use OCP\Migration\SimpleMigrationStep;
+
+class Version17000Date20260106000000 extends SimpleMigrationStep {
+	#[\Override]
+	public function changeSchema(IOutput $output, Closure $schemaClosure, array $options): ?ISchemaWrapper {
+		/** @var ISchemaWrapper $schema */
+		$schema = $schemaClosure();
+		$changed = false;
+
+		if ($schema->hasTable('libresign_file')) {
+			$table = $schema->getTable('libresign_file');
+
+			if ($table->hasColumn('node_id')) {
+				$table->modifyColumn('node_id', [
+					'notnull' => false,
+				]);
+				$changed = true;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return $changed ? $schema : null;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/ResponseDefinitions.php b/lib/ResponseDefinitions.php
index 7a184afa9e..3d7f69d8c1 100644
--- a/lib/ResponseDefinitions.php
+++ b/lib/ResponseDefinitions.php
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@
  *     visibleElements?: LibresignVisibleElement[],
  * }
  * @psalm-type LibresignFileListItem = array{
- *     nodeId: int,
+ *     nodeId: ?int,
  *     uuid: string,
- *     name: string,
+ *     name: non-falsy-string,
  *     status: int,
  *     statusText: string,
  * }
diff --git a/lib/Service/SignFileService.php b/lib/Service/SignFileService.php
index d86ca88994..f7348ee34d 100644
--- a/lib/Service/SignFileService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/SignFileService.php
@@ -1024,7 +1024,14 @@ public function getNextcloudFiles(FileEntity $fileData): array {
 			$children = $this->fileMapper->getChildrenFiles($fileData->getId());
 			$files = [];
 			foreach ($children as $child) {
-				$file = $this->root->getUserFolder($child->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($child->getNodeId());
+				$nodeId = $child->getNodeId();
+				if ($nodeId === null) {
+					throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
+						'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
+						'errors' => [['message' => $this->l10n->t('File not found')]],
+					]), AppFrameworkHttp::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
+				}
+				$file = $this->root->getUserFolder($child->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($nodeId);
 				if ($file instanceof File) {
 					$files[] = $file;
 				}
@@ -1032,7 +1039,14 @@ public function getNextcloudFiles(FileEntity $fileData): array {
 			return $files;
 		}
 
-		$fileToSign = $this->root->getUserFolder($fileData->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($fileData->getNodeId());
+		$nodeId = $fileData->getNodeId();
+		if ($nodeId === null) {
+			throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
+				'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
+				'errors' => [['message' => $this->l10n->t('File not found')]],
+			]), AppFrameworkHttp::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
+		}
+		$fileToSign = $this->root->getUserFolder($fileData->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($nodeId);
 		if (!$fileToSign instanceof File) {
 			throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
 				'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
@@ -1050,7 +1064,14 @@ public function getNextcloudFilesWithEntities(FileEntity $fileData): array {
 			$children = $this->fileMapper->getChildrenFiles($fileData->getId());
 			$result = [];
 			foreach ($children as $child) {
-				$file = $this->root->getUserFolder($child->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($child->getNodeId());
+				$nodeId = $child->getNodeId();
+				if ($nodeId === null) {
+					throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
+						'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
+						'errors' => [['message' => $this->l10n->t('File not found')]],
+					]), AppFrameworkHttp::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
+				}
+				$file = $this->root->getUserFolder($child->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($nodeId);
 				if ($file instanceof File) {
 					$result[] = $child;
 				}
@@ -1058,7 +1079,14 @@ public function getNextcloudFilesWithEntities(FileEntity $fileData): array {
 			return $result;
 		}
 
-		$fileToSign = $this->root->getUserFolder($fileData->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($fileData->getNodeId());
+		$nodeId = $fileData->getNodeId();
+		if ($nodeId === null) {
+			throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
+				'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
+				'errors' => [['message' => $this->l10n->t('File not found')]],
+			]), AppFrameworkHttp::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
+		}
+		$fileToSign = $this->root->getUserFolder($fileData->getUserId())->getFirstNodeById($nodeId);
 		if (!$fileToSign instanceof File) {
 			throw new LibresignException(json_encode([
 				'action' => JSActions::ACTION_DO_NOTHING,
diff --git a/openapi-full.json b/openapi-full.json
index 9b1c4c090a..7e7453ff8a 100644
--- a/openapi-full.json
+++ b/openapi-full.json
@@ -617,7 +617,8 @@
                 "properties": {
                     "nodeId": {
                         "type": "integer",
-                        "format": "int64"
+                        "format": "int64",
+                        "nullable": true
                     },
                     "uuid": {
                         "type": "string"
diff --git a/openapi.json b/openapi.json
index 19db86cc34..1cc8c82265 100644
--- a/openapi.json
+++ b/openapi.json
@@ -547,7 +547,8 @@
                 "properties": {
                     "nodeId": {
                         "type": "integer",
-                        "format": "int64"
+                        "format": "int64",
+                        "nullable": true
                     },
                     "uuid": {
                         "type": "string"
diff --git a/src/types/openapi/openapi-full.ts b/src/types/openapi/openapi-full.ts
index f97021e92a..dcd37fbc92 100644
--- a/src/types/openapi/openapi-full.ts
+++ b/src/types/openapi/openapi-full.ts
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ export type components = {
         };
         FileListItem: {
             /** Format: int64 */
-            nodeId: number;
+            nodeId: number | null;
             uuid: string;
             name: string;
             /** Format: int64 */
diff --git a/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts b/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
index 56e1052683..5f4b5202a0 100644
--- a/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
+++ b/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ export type components = {
         };
         FileListItem: {
             /** Format: int64 */
-            nodeId: number;
+            nodeId: number | null;
             uuid: string;
             name: string;
             /** Format: int64 */