diff --git a/pkg/java/java.go b/pkg/java/java.go
index 77321fb7..b2aac6ad 100644
--- a/pkg/java/java.go
+++ b/pkg/java/java.go
@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ func (o *Opts) download() error {
 		log.Debugf("existing JDK '%s' is up-to-date", check.Locked.Source)
 		return nil
 	}
+	log.Infof("preparing new JDK at dir '%s'", o.jdkDir())
+	if err = o.prepare(err); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := lock.Lock(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Infof("prepared new JDK at dir '%s'", o.jdkDir())
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (o *Opts) prepare(err error) error {
+	if err := pathx.DeleteIfExists(o.jdkDir()); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	url := o.DownloadURL
 	for search, replace := range o.DownloadURLReplacements {
 		url = strings.ReplaceAll(url, search, replace)
@@ -94,10 +109,6 @@ func (o *Opts) download() error {
 	if _, err = filex.UnarchiveWithChanged(archiveFile, o.jdkDir()); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := lock.Lock(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	log.Infof("unarchived new JDK at dir '%s'", o.jdkDir())
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/oak_run.go b/pkg/oak_run.go
index 034a1ac7..865bab9d 100644
--- a/pkg/oak_run.go
+++ b/pkg/oak_run.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ func (or OakRun) JarFile() string {
 }
 
 func (or OakRun) prepare() error {
+	if err := pathx.DeleteIfExists(or.Dir()); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	jarFile := or.JarFile()
 	log.Infof("downloading Oak Run JAR from URL '%s' to file '%s'", or.DownloadURL, jarFile)
 	if err := httpx.DownloadOnce(or.DownloadURL, jarFile); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/sdk.go b/pkg/sdk.go
index d78cf368..49da480d 100644
--- a/pkg/sdk.go
+++ b/pkg/sdk.go
@@ -67,16 +67,13 @@ func (s SDK) Prepare() error {
 }
 
 func (s SDK) prepare(zipFile string) error {
-	err := pathx.Delete(s.Dir())
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := pathx.DeleteIfExists(s.Dir()); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = s.unpackSdk(zipFile)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := s.unpackSdk(zipFile); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = s.unpackDispatcher()
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := s.unpackDispatcher(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/vault_cli.go b/pkg/vault_cli.go
index 8969fe42..51ece711 100644
--- a/pkg/vault_cli.go
+++ b/pkg/vault_cli.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func (v VaultCli) lock() osx.Lock[VaultCliLock] {
 	return osx.NewLock(v.dir()+"/lock/create.yml", func() (VaultCliLock, error) { return VaultCliLock{DownloadURL: v.DownloadURL}, nil })
 }
 
-func (v VaultCli) prepare() error {
+func (v VaultCli) Prepare() error {
 	lock := v.lock()
 	check, err := lock.State()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func (v VaultCli) prepare() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	log.Infof("preparing new Vault '%s'", v.DownloadURL)
-	err = v.install()
+	err = v.prepare()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ func (v VaultCli) archiveFile() string {
 	return pathx.Canonical(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", v.dir(), filepath.Base(v.DownloadURL)))
 }
 
-func (v VaultCli) install() error {
+func (v VaultCli) prepare() error {
+	if err := pathx.DeleteIfExists(v.dir()); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	archiveFile := v.archiveFile()
 	log.Infof("downloading Vault from URL '%s' to file '%s'", v.DownloadURL, archiveFile)
 	if err := httpx.DownloadOnce(v.DownloadURL, archiveFile); err != nil {
@@ -94,8 +97,8 @@ func (v VaultCli) install() error {
 }
 
 func (v VaultCli) CommandShell(args []string) error {
-	if err := v.prepare(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("cannot run Vault command: %w", err)
+	if err := v.Prepare(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot prepare Vault before running command: %w", err)
 	}
 	cmd := execx.CommandShell(args)
 	cmd.Dir = v.execDir()