diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b8da1c..a9ce285 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ endif()
 find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
 
 file(GLOB SHARED_SRCS "src/shared/*.c")
-set(FILE_STORE_SRCS src/shared/file_store.c)
+set(FILE_STORE_SRCS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/shared/file_store.c")
 list(REMOVE_ITEM SHARED_SRCS ${FILE_STORE_SRCS})
 file(GLOB SERVER_SRCS "src/server/*.c")
 set(SERVER_RECEIVER_SRCS src/server/receiver.c)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8f52a59..3aaf949 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ working directory, so use a destination below that directory unless the
 remote server is otherwise configured with a matching authorized root.
 
 ```bash
+ssh user@host 'mkdir -p destination'
 ./build/client /path/to/source user@host:destination
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/server/server.c b/src/server/server.c
index 47f512e..1485210 100644
--- a/src/server/server.c
+++ b/src/server/server.c
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ static char* authorized_root;
 static int authorized_root_fd = -1;
 static bool allow_delete;
 
+static void release_authorization(void) {
+  file_set_authorized_root(-1, NULL);
+  utils_set_authorized_root_fd(-1);
+  if (authorized_root_fd >= 0)
+    close(authorized_root_fd);
+  authorized_root_fd = -1;
+  free(authorized_root);
+  authorized_root = NULL;
+}
+
 static bool path_is_within(const char* root, const char* path) {
   size_t n = strlen(root);
   return strncmp(root, path, n) == 0 && (path[n] == '\0' || path[n] == '/');
@@ -233,33 +243,35 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   if (stdio_mode) {
     io_set_fds(STDIN_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
     handler(STDIN_FILENO);
-    file_set_authorized_root(-1, NULL);
-    utils_set_authorized_root_fd(-1);
-    close(authorized_root_fd);
-    free(authorized_root);
+    release_authorization();
     return 0;
   }
   g_server = server_create(port);
   if (!g_server) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "Failed to create server");
+    release_authorization();
     return 1;
   }
   if (use_tls) {
     if (!tls_cert || !tls_key) {
       fprintf(stderr, "Error: --tls requires --cert and --key\n");
       server_delete(&g_server);
+      release_authorization();
       return 1;
     }
     tls_global_init();
     if (!server_create_tls(g_server, tls_cert, tls_key, tls_ca)) {
       log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "Failed to set up TLS");
       server_delete(&g_server);
+      release_authorization();
       return 1;
     }
     server_listen_tls(g_server, handler);
   } else {
     server_listen(g_server, handler);
   }
+  server_delete(&g_server);
+  release_authorization();
   return 0;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/shared/file.c b/src/shared/file.c
index fb4891e..6122d39 100644
--- a/src/shared/file.c
+++ b/src/shared/file.c
@@ -336,13 +336,14 @@ bool file_save_to_disk(const char* root_directory, const File* file, const Confi
 }
 
 static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_path,
-                                void* old_data, unsigned long long old_size) {
+                                void* old_data, unsigned long long old_size, bool* failed) {
   if (!old_data)
     return NULL;
 
   DeltaSignature* sig = delta_signature_create(old_data, old_size, config->delta_block_size);
   if (!sig) {
     free(old_data);
+    *failed = true;
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -350,6 +351,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
   if (!sig_data) {
     delta_signature_destroy(sig);
     free(old_data);
+    *failed = true;
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -359,6 +361,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
   if (!sig_sent) {
     delta_signature_destroy(sig);
     free(old_data);
+    *failed = true;
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -366,6 +369,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
   if (!receive_status(fd, &resp)) {
     delta_signature_destroy(sig);
     free(old_data);
+    *failed = true;
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -374,7 +378,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
     if (!delta_data) {
       delta_signature_destroy(sig);
       free(old_data);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -385,7 +389,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
       if (!raw_delta) {
         free(old_data);
         delta_signature_destroy(sig);
-        send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+        *failed = true;
         return NULL;
       }
     }
@@ -395,7 +399,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
     if (!delta) {
       free(old_data);
       delta_signature_destroy(sig);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -406,7 +410,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
     if (!new_data) {
       free(old_data);
       delta_signature_destroy(sig);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -415,7 +419,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
       free(new_data);
       free(old_data);
       delta_signature_destroy(sig);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -427,7 +431,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
         free(new_data);
         free(old_data);
         delta_signature_destroy(sig);
-        send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+        *failed = true;
         return NULL;
       }
     }
@@ -446,7 +450,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
 
     File* file = file_create(check_path);
     if (!file) {
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -455,7 +459,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
       file->metadata = metadata_receive(fd, &meta_ok);
       if (!meta_ok) {
         file_destroy(file);
-        send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+        *failed = true;
         return NULL;
       }
     }
@@ -463,7 +467,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
     Data* file_data = receive_data(fd);
     if (file_data == NULL) {
       file_destroy(file);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+      *failed = true;
       return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -472,7 +476,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
       data_destroy(file_data);
       if (uncompressed == NULL) {
         file_destroy(file);
-        send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+        *failed = true;
         return NULL;
       }
       file_data = uncompressed;
@@ -485,6 +489,7 @@ static File* receive_delta_file(int fd, const Config* config, const char* check_
 
   delta_signature_destroy(sig);
   free(old_data);
+  *failed = true;
   return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -492,7 +497,6 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
   *skipped = false;
   char* check_path = receive_str(fd);
   if (check_path == NULL) {
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -502,19 +506,16 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
   if (!receive_n_data(fd, &check_size, sizeof(check_size)) ||
       !receive_n_data(fd, &check_mtime, sizeof(check_mtime))) {
     free(check_path);
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
   if (config->checksum && !receive_n_data(fd, &check_checksum, sizeof(check_checksum))) {
     free(check_path);
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
 
   if (has_path_traversal(check_path)) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "Path traversal detected: %s", check_path);
     free(check_path);
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -582,13 +583,20 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
                    delta_should_attempt(old_size, check_size, config->delta_max_file_size);
 
   if (try_delta) {
-    File* delta_file = receive_delta_file(fd, config, check_path, old_data, old_size);
+    bool delta_failed = false;
+    File* delta_file =
+        receive_delta_file(fd, config, check_path, old_data, old_size, &delta_failed);
     old_data = NULL; /* receive_delta_file consumes the snapshot on every path */
     if (delta_file) {
       free(full_path);
       free(check_path);
       return delta_file;
     }
+    if (delta_failed) {
+      free(full_path);
+      free(check_path);
+      return NULL;
+    }
     free(old_data);
     old_data = NULL;
     try_delta = false;
@@ -606,7 +614,6 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
   free(check_path);
   free(full_path);
   if (file == NULL) {
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -615,7 +622,6 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
     file->metadata = metadata_receive(fd, &meta_ok);
     if (!meta_ok) {
       file_destroy(file);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
       return NULL;
     }
   }
@@ -623,7 +629,6 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
   Data* file_data = receive_data(fd);
   if (file_data == NULL) {
     file_destroy(file);
-    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -632,7 +637,6 @@ File* receive_incremental_check(int fd, const Config* config, bool* skipped) {
     data_destroy(file_data);
     if (uncompressed == NULL) {
       file_destroy(file);
-      send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
       return NULL;
     }
     file_data = uncompressed;