diff --git a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/app.py b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/app.py
index e7a1f94a..a1a5cecc 100644
--- a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/app.py
+++ b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/app.py
@@ -8,14 +8,13 @@
 from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 from starlette.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
 
-from api_server import users
 from api_server.assets.controller import router as assets_router
 from api_server.files.blobs_controller import router as blobs_router
 from api_server.files.files_controller import router as files_router
 from api_server.processing_requests.controller import router as processing_router
 from api_server.projects.controller import router as projects_router
 from api_server.users.init_db import create_initial_user, create_system_user
-from api_server.users.schemas import UserCreate, UserRead, UserUpdate
+from api_server.users.schemas import UserCreate, UserRead
 from api_server.users.users import auth_backend, current_optional_user, fastapi_users
 from api_server.users.users_controller import users_router
 from api_server.utils.exceptions.fastapi_handlers import general_exception_handler, http_exception_handler
diff --git a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/assets/service.py b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/assets/service.py
index b845a124..4ee004d9 100644
--- a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/assets/service.py
+++ b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/assets/service.py
@@ -91,21 +91,16 @@ async def update_asset(
     async def delete_asset(self, asset_id: uuid.UUID) -> None:
         asset = await self.get_asset(asset_id)
         await self.asset_repository.delete_asset(asset_id)
-
         for file_id in asset.files_ids:
-            involved_assets = await self.get_assets_by_file_id(file_id)
-
-            # guard to avoid deleting files that are used by other assets
-            involved_assets = [asset for asset in involved_assets if (asset.id != asset_id and not asset.deletion_time)]
-            if len(involved_assets) > 0:
-                continue
-
             await self.file_service.delete_file(file_id)
 
     async def delete_assets_by_project_id(self, project_id: uuid.UUID) -> None:
         assets = await self.get_assets_by_project_id(project_id)
         asset_ids = [asset.id for asset in assets]
         await self.asset_repository.delete_assets(asset_ids)
+        for asset in assets:
+            for file_id in asset.files_ids:
+                await self.file_service.delete_file(file_id)
 
     async def does_asset_exist(self, asset_id: uuid.UUID) -> bool:
         asset = await self.asset_repository.get_asset(asset_id)
diff --git a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/files/service.py b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/files/service.py
index a1d17089..82505bb0 100644
--- a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/files/service.py
+++ b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/files/service.py
@@ -28,28 +28,10 @@ def __init__(self, file_repository: FileRepository) -> None:
 
     async def save_file(self, name: str, file_type: FileType, file_bytes: bytes, users_ids: list[uuid.UUID]) -> File:
         hash = self._compute_sha256(file_bytes)
-
-        # if self._hash_exists_on_disk(hash):
-        #     try:
-        #         file = await self.file_repository.get_file_by_hash(hash)
-        #         if file.deletion_time is not None:
-        #             raise FileNotFoundError
-
-        #         # add users if they don't have access to the file yet
-        #         if not await self.users_have_access_to_file(users_ids, file.id):
-        #             await self.file_repository.add_users_to_file_if_needed(file.id, users_ids)
-
-        #         raise FileExists(file)
-        #     except FileNotFoundError:
-        #         # File exists on disk but not in database, continue creating the database record
-        #         pass
-        # else:
         file_path = self.base_dir / hash
         with file_path.open("wb") as file:
             file.write(file_bytes)
-
         url = self._generate_url(hash)
-
         return await self.file_repository.create_file(
             name=name,
             content_hash=hash,
@@ -74,7 +56,7 @@ async def delete_file(self, file_id: uuid.UUID) -> None:
         #   Each file on disk can have multiple references from File entities in the database (to preserve space)
         #   because we create new files only when the hash of the file content is different.
         other_references = await self.file_repository.get_files_by_hash(content_hash)
-        other_references = [file for file in other_references if file.id != file_id]
+        other_references = [file for file in other_references if file.id != file_id and file.deletion_time is None]
         if len(other_references) == 0:
             self._remove_file_from_disk(content_hash)
 
diff --git a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/projects/service.py b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/projects/service.py
index 8ed54fc1..e9df5766 100644
--- a/backend/services/api-server/api_server/projects/service.py
+++ b/backend/services/api-server/api_server/projects/service.py
@@ -152,8 +152,6 @@ async def add_processing_request_to_project(
         return await self._project_repository.add_processing_request_to_project(project_id, processing_request_id)
 
     async def delete_project(self, project_id: uuid.UUID) -> None:
-        # TODO: cancel processing requests
-
         try:
             await self._asset_service.delete_assets_by_project_id(project_id)
         except Exception: