diff --git a/builtin-list.c b/builtin-list.c
index 885543f..9299f17 100644
--- a/builtin-list.c
+++ b/builtin-list.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static int print_guest(const char *name, int sock)
 	vmstate = get_vmstate(sock);
 
 	if ((int)pid < 0 || vmstate < 0)
-		goto cleanup;
+		return -1;
 
 	if (vmstate == KVM_VMSTATE_PAUSED)
 		printf("%5d %-20s %s\n", pid, name, KVM_INSTANCE_PAUSED);
@@ -85,10 +85,6 @@ static int print_guest(const char *name, int sock)
 		printf("%5d %-20s %s\n", pid, name, KVM_INSTANCE_RUNNING);
 
 	return 0;
-
-cleanup:
-	kvm__remove_socket(name);
-	return -1;
 }
 
 static int kvm_list_running_instances(void)
diff --git a/kvm.c b/kvm.c
index 29cc4b4..cb4e5a0 100644
--- a/kvm.c
+++ b/kvm.c
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ static int kvm__create_socket(struct kvm *kvm)
 		return s;
 	local.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
 	strcpy(local.sun_path, full_name);
-	unlink(local.sun_path);
 	len = strlen(local.sun_path) + sizeof(local.sun_family);
 	r = bind(s, (struct sockaddr *)&local, len);
 	if (r < 0)
@@ -190,8 +189,9 @@ int kvm__get_sock_by_instance(const char *name)
 
 	r = connect(s, &local, len);
 	if (r < 0 && errno == ECONNREFUSED) {
-		/* Clean ghost socket file */
-		unlink(sock_file);
+		/* Tell the user clean ghost socket file */
+		pr_err("\"%s\" could be a ghost socket file, please remove it",
+				sock_file);
 		return -1;
 	} else if (r < 0) {
 		die("Failed connecting to instance");