diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/setSet/setSet.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/setSet/setSet.C
index 86ace70ca..abdfe6ba1 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/setSet/setSet.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/setSet/setSet.C
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ void printAllSets(const polyMesh& mesh, Ostream& os)
 
 
 // Physically remove a set
-void removeSet
+bool removeSet
 (
     const polyMesh& mesh,
     const word& setType,
@@ -346,7 +346,11 @@ void removeSet
         fileName object = objects[setName]->objectPath();
         Info<< "Removing file " << object << endl;
         rm(object);
+
+        return true;
     }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 
@@ -392,11 +396,7 @@ bool doCommand
 
         IOobject::readOption r;
 
-        if (action == topoSetSource::REMOVE)
-        {
-            removeSet(mesh, setType, setName);
-        }
-        else if
+        if
         (
             (action == topoSetSource::NEW)
          || (action == topoSetSource::CLEAR)
@@ -414,7 +414,11 @@ bool doCommand
             currentSet.resize(max(currentSet.size(), typSize));
         }
 
-        if (!currentSetPtr.valid())
+        if (action == topoSetSource::REMOVE)
+        {
+            ok = removeSet(mesh, setType, setName);
+        }
+        else if (!currentSetPtr.valid())
         {
             Info<< "    Cannot construct/load set "
                 << topoSet::localPath(mesh, setName) << endl;