diff --git a/scripts/config/env.conf b/scripts/config/env_default.conf
similarity index 95%
rename from scripts/config/env.conf
rename to scripts/config/env_default.conf
index fbbcc12..4d45193 100644
--- a/scripts/config/env.conf
+++ b/scripts/config/env_default.conf
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ WEB_SERVER_IMAGE=eoa_1_5_webserver
 ###################################################
 # volumes:
 
+DEPENDENCIES_DIR=dependencies
+
 RUNTIME_DIR=runtime_data
 
 DATABASE_DATA_DIR=${RUNTIME_DIR}/postgres_data
diff --git a/scripts/exit.py b/scripts/exit.py
index 584c01d..a519370 100755
--- a/scripts/exit.py
+++ b/scripts/exit.py
@@ -1,44 +1,72 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
-from utils.settings import BASE_DIR, load_config
+from utils.settings import BASE_DIR, load_config, env_file, create_docker_env_file
+from stop import stop
 
 from pathlib import Path
 import shutil
 import os
 
-def rm_dirs( config ):
-    path = Path( BASE_DIR, config['RUNTIME_DIR'] )
+def rm_dir(
+        path
+):
     print( "removing dir '{}'".format( path ) )
     shutil.rmtree(
         path,
         ignore_errors=True
     )
-    # os.system('rm -rf "{}"'.format( path ))
 
-def rm_docker_env_file( config ):
-    path = Path(
-        BASE_DIR / ".env"
-    )
-    print( "removing '{}'".format( path ) )
-    shutil.rmtree(
-        path,
-        ignore_errors=True
-    )
+def rm_file(
+        path
+):
+    if path.is_file():
+        print( "removing file '{}'".format( path ) )
+        path.unlink()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     from argparse import ArgumentParser
 
+    if not env_file.exists():
+        create_docker_env_file()
     config = load_config()
 
     parser = ArgumentParser(
-        description="clean up the repository: remove xml database, remove sql database"
+            description="clean up the repository. Wont delete anything unless corresponding options are specified. ('--all' removes all)"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-d", "--deps",
+        action = "store_true",
+        help = "remove dependencies",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-r", "--runtime",
+        action = "store_true",
+        help = "remove '{rt_dir}'".format( rt_dir = BASE_DIR / config['RUNTIME_DIR'] ),
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-e", "--env",
+        action = "store_true",
+        help = "remove existing .env file",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--all",
+        action = "store_true",
+        help = "purge in every way",
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    from stop import stop
-
     stop( config )
 
-    rm_dirs( config )
-    rm_docker_env_file( config )
+    if args.deps or args.all:
+        rm_dir(
+                path = BASE_DIR / config['DEPENDENCIES_DIR']
+        )
+    if args.runtime or args.all:
+        rm_dir(
+                path = BASE_DIR / config['RUNTIME_DIR']
+        )
+    if args.env or args.all:
+        rm_file(
+                env_file
+        )
diff --git a/scripts/init.py b/scripts/init.py
index 6f232be..ee9c5cf 100755
--- a/scripts/init.py
+++ b/scripts/init.py
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
 import subprocess
 from time import sleep
 
-BASE_DIR = Path( __file__ ).parent.parent
-DEP_DIR = BASE_DIR / "dependencies"
-
 
 SQLDB_WAIT_TIME=20
 
@@ -37,6 +34,7 @@ def copy_dir(src, dst):
     )
 
 def create_dirs( config ):
+
     create_dir(
         BASE_DIR / config['DATABASE_DATA_DIR']
     )
@@ -58,6 +56,12 @@ def install_git_dep(
     force = False,
     init_script = None
 ):
+    DEP_DIR = BASE_DIR / config['DEPENDENCIES_DIR']
+
+    create_dir(
+        BASE_DIR / config['DEPENDENCIES_DIR']
+    )
+
     # remove repo, if necessary:
     if force and (DEP_DIR / repo_name).exists():
         shutil.rmtree( DEP_DIR / repo_name )
diff --git a/scripts/utils/settings.py b/scripts/utils/settings.py
index d81ca9e..c3e0f63 100644
--- a/scripts/utils/settings.py
+++ b/scripts/utils/settings.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 BASE_DIR = Path( __file__ ).parent.parent.parent
 SCRIPT_DIR = Path( __file__ ).parent.parent
 
-orig_config_file = SCRIPT_DIR / "config" / "env.conf"
+orig_config_file = SCRIPT_DIR / "config" / "env_default.conf"
 env_file = BASE_DIR / ".env"