diff --git a/Launcher/Test/mod_manager_tests.cpp b/Launcher/Test/mod_manager_tests.cpp
index 2bbfea9..40fcf41 100644
--- a/Launcher/Test/mod_manager_tests.cpp
+++ b/Launcher/Test/mod_manager_tests.cpp
@@ -121,8 +121,19 @@ int main() {
     }
     check(conflict, "Installing over an installed mod asks first");
     make_zip(sources / L"v2.zip", {{"Cool Park/layout.toc", "toc v2"}});
+    // A file of the installed copy held open: the replacement is refused and the copy stays whole.
+    {
+        const auto held = CreateFileW((mods / L"Cool Park" / L"layout.toc").c_str(), GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, nullptr,
+                                      OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, nullptr);
+        bool refused = false;
+        try { install(mods, sources / L"v2.zip", true); } catch (const std::exception&) { refused = true; }
+        CloseHandle(held);
+        check(refused && read(mods / L"Cool Park" / L"layout.toc") == "toc" && !fs::exists(mods / L".reskate-install"),
+              "A copy in use is not replaced, and stays as it was");
+    }
     check(install(mods, sources / L"v2.zip", true) == "Cool Park" && read(mods / L"Cool Park" / L"layout.toc") == "toc v2",
           "Replacing installs the new copy");
+    check(!fs::exists(mods / L".reskate-install"), "The replaced copy is deleted, not left beside the mods");
     {
         std::atomic<bool> cancel{};
         unsigned callbacks{};
diff --git a/Launcher/gui_mods.cpp b/Launcher/gui_mods.cpp
index 9db2b42..4d7b1a3 100644
--- a/Launcher/gui_mods.cpp
+++ b/Launcher/gui_mods.cpp
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ void mods_window(Launcher& launcher, const Fonts& fonts, ImVec2 size, Ui& ui, Mo
     ImGui::SetNextWindowSize(ImVec2(S(440), 0));
     if (ImGui::BeginPopupModal("Replace mod", nullptr, ImGuiWindowFlags_NoResize | ImGuiWindowFlags_NoMove)) {
         ImGui::PushTextWrapPos(0);
-        ImGui::Text("\"%s\" is already installed. Replace it? The installed copy goes to the Recycle Bin.",
+        ImGui::Text("\"%s\" is already installed. Replace it? The installed copy is deleted.",
             panel.conflict_name.c_str());
         ImGui::PopTextWrapPos();
         ImGui::Spacing();
diff --git a/Launcher/gui_mods_browse.cpp b/Launcher/gui_mods_browse.cpp
index c671f6c..f53a8f1 100644
--- a/Launcher/gui_mods_browse.cpp
+++ b/Launcher/gui_mods_browse.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void set_activity(ModsPanel& panel, std::string text) {
 }
 
 // Downloads one package into Mods/.reskate-download, then installs it over any
-// installed copy (which goes to the Recycle Bin, keeping its place in mods.json).
+// installed copy (which is deleted, its place in mods.json kept).
 std::string install_package(ModsPanel& panel, const fs::path& root, const ts::Package& package) {
     const auto& version = package.latest();
     const auto folder = root / L".reskate-download";
diff --git a/Launcher/mod_manager.cpp b/Launcher/mod_manager.cpp
index aee3c34..bac1888 100644
--- a/Launcher/mod_manager.cpp
+++ b/Launcher/mod_manager.cpp
@@ -225,16 +225,27 @@ private:
     fs::path path_;
 };
 
-// Moves the finished staging folder into place, replacing only when asked.
+// Moves the finished staging folder into place, replacing only when asked. The copy it
+// replaces (an update, mostly) is deleted for good rather than recycled: it is moved aside
+// into the staging folder first, so a new copy that cannot go in leaves the old one where it was.
 void commit(const fs::path& mods, const Staging& staging, const std::string& name, bool replace) {
     const auto target = mods / from_utf8(name);
     std::error_code error;
+    fs::path aside;
     if (fs::exists(target, error)) {
         if (!replace) throw AlreadyInstalled(name);
-        recycle(target);
+        aside = staging.path().parent_path() / (from_utf8(name).wstring() + L".replaced");
+        fs::remove_all(aside, error);
+        if (!MoveFileExW(target.c_str(), aside.c_str(), MOVEFILE_WRITE_THROUGH))
+            fail("Could not replace " + name + ": close anything using its files (the game, an editor) and try again.");
     }
-    if (!MoveFileExW(staging.path().c_str(), target.c_str(), MOVEFILE_WRITE_THROUGH))
-        fail("Could not move the mod into the Mods folder (Windows error " + std::to_string(GetLastError()) + ").");
+    if (!MoveFileExW(staging.path().c_str(), target.c_str(), MOVEFILE_WRITE_THROUGH)) {
+        const auto code = GetLastError();
+        if (!aside.empty()) MoveFileExW(aside.c_str(), target.c_str(), MOVEFILE_WRITE_THROUGH);
+        fail("Could not move the mod into the Mods folder (Windows error " + std::to_string(code) + ").");
+    }
+    // (Whatever of it cannot be deleted now goes with the staging folder.)
+    if (!aside.empty()) fs::remove_all(aside, error);
 }
 
 // miniz is built without stdio, so the archive is read through a handle.
diff --git a/Launcher/mod_manager.h b/Launcher/mod_manager.h
index 98d40e6..5bfabdd 100644
--- a/Launcher/mod_manager.h
+++ b/Launcher/mod_manager.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ struct InstallOptions {
 // CHANGELOG.md at the top of a package are copied in when the mod sits one
 // folder deeper. A top-level mod takes the archive's name without a trailing
 // version ("Team-Map-1.0.0.zip" installs as Team-Map). With `replace`, an
-// installed mod of the same name goes to the Recycle Bin first. Throws a
+// installed mod of the same name is deleted for good once the new copy is in. Throws a
 // user-facing message; a failed or cancelled install leaves the Mods folder as it was.
 std::string install(const std::filesystem::path& mods_root, const std::filesystem::path& source, bool replace,
                     const Progress& progress, const std::atomic<bool>& cancel, const InstallOptions& options = {});