diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/MediaActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/MediaActivity.kt
index dfaa19ccf..5ae2904ef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/MediaActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/MediaActivity.kt
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class MediaActivity : SimpleActivity(), MediaAdapter.MediaOperationsListener {
 
     private fun deleteDirectoryIfEmpty() {
         val file = File(mPath)
-        if (file.isDirectory && file.listFiles()?.isEmpty() == true) {
+        if (!file.isDownloadsFolder() && file.isDirectory && file.listFiles()?.isEmpty() == true) {
             file.delete()
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/ViewPagerActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/ViewPagerActivity.kt
index b44898be0..7169d878b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/ViewPagerActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/activities/ViewPagerActivity.kt
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ class ViewPagerActivity : SimpleActivity(), ViewPager.OnPageChangeListener, View
 
     private fun deleteDirectoryIfEmpty() {
         val file = File(mDirectory)
-        if (file.isDirectory && file.listFiles()?.isEmpty() == true) {
+        if (!file.isDownloadsFolder() && file.isDirectory && file.listFiles()?.isEmpty() == true) {
             file.delete()
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/extensions/file.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/extensions/file.kt
index b990dfc56..a2156588c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/extensions/file.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/extensions/file.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.simplemobiletools.gallery.extensions
 
 import android.graphics.Bitmap
+import android.os.Environment
 import com.simplemobiletools.gallery.helpers.NOMEDIA
 import java.io.File
 
@@ -13,3 +14,5 @@ fun File.getCompressionFormat(): Bitmap.CompressFormat {
 }
 
 fun File.containsNoMedia() = isDirectory && File(this, NOMEDIA).exists()
+
+fun File.isDownloadsFolder() = absolutePath == Environment.getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(Environment.DIRECTORY_DOWNLOADS).toString()