diff --git a/activation.cpp b/activation.cpp
index 98df52b..eeefbef 100755
--- a/activation.cpp
+++ b/activation.cpp
@@ -52,24 +52,24 @@
         // existence of those directories to validate the service file was
         // successful, also for the existence of the RO directory where the
         // image is supposed to reside.
-        if ((fs::exists(PNOR_PRSV)) &&
-            (fs::exists(PNOR_RW_PREFIX + versionId)) &&
-            (fs::exists(PNOR_RO_PREFIX + versionId)))
+        if ((fs::is_directory(PNOR_PRSV)) &&
+            (fs::is_directory(PNOR_RW_PREFIX + versionId)) &&
+            (fs::is_directory(PNOR_RO_PREFIX + versionId)))
         {
-            if (!fs::exists(PNOR_ACTIVE_PATH))
+            if (!fs::is_directory(PNOR_ACTIVE_PATH))
             {
                 fs::create_directories(PNOR_ACTIVE_PATH);
             }
 
             // If the RW or RO active links exist, remove them and create new
             // ones pointing to the active version.
-            if (fs::exists(PNOR_RO_ACTIVE_PATH))
+            if (fs::is_symlink(PNOR_RO_ACTIVE_PATH))
             {
                 fs::remove(PNOR_RO_ACTIVE_PATH);
             }
             fs::create_directory_symlink(PNOR_RO_PREFIX + versionId,
                     PNOR_RO_ACTIVE_PATH);
-            if (fs::exists(PNOR_RW_ACTIVE_PATH))
+            if (fs::is_symlink(PNOR_RW_ACTIVE_PATH))
             {
                 fs::remove(PNOR_RW_ACTIVE_PATH);
             }
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 
             // There is only one preserved directory as it is not tied to a
             // version, so just create the link if it doesn't exist already.
-            if (!fs::exists(PNOR_PRSV_ACTIVE_PATH))
+            if (!fs::is_symlink(PNOR_PRSV_ACTIVE_PATH))
             {
                 fs::create_directory_symlink(PNOR_PRSV, PNOR_PRSV_ACTIVE_PATH);
             }