diff --git a/cmd/smelter/smelt.go b/cmd/smelter/smelt.go
index 5c806914..8908f8df 100644
--- a/cmd/smelter/smelt.go
+++ b/cmd/smelter/smelt.go
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ func Smelt(configs []utils.Config) {
 		for _, config := range configs {
 			configMap[config.Name] = config
 		}
+		// cleanup any previous smelts
+		if err := utils.CleanupDir("working"); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
 		// Ensure the working/pre directory exists
 		preDir := "working/pre"
 		if _, err := os.Stat(preDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
diff --git a/cmd/utils/utils.go b/cmd/utils/utils.go
index fac467db..de698620 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/utils.go
@@ -394,3 +394,27 @@ func IsClusterScoped(resourceName, apiVersion string) bool {
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+func CleanupDir(dir string) error {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(dir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	err := filepath.Walk(dir, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !info.IsDir() && info.Name() != ".gitkeep" {
+			err := os.Remove(path)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("Error deleting file %s: %v", path, err)
+			} else {
+				log.Debugf("Deleted file %s", path)
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error cleaning %s directory: %v", dir, err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/working/pre/.gitkeep b/working/pre/.gitkeep
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000