diff --git a/cmd/purge.go b/cmd/purge.go
index d825753..cd34096 100644
--- a/cmd/purge.go
+++ b/cmd/purge.go
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ var errPurgeNoConfirmation = exit.Error{
 	ExitCode: exit.ExitGeneric,
 }
 
+var errPurgeGeneric = exit.Error{
+	Message:  "Unable to purge instance %s: %s",
+	ExitCode: exit.ExitGeneric,
+}
+
 func (p purge) Run(context wisski_distillery.Context) error {
 	dis := context.Environment
 	slug := p.Positionals.Slug
@@ -88,7 +93,7 @@ func (p purge) Run(context wisski_distillery.Context) error {
 
 		return nil
 	}, context.IOStream, "Purging instance-specific resources"); err != nil {
-		return errProvisionGeneric.WithMessageF(slug, err)
+		return errPurgeGeneric.WithMessageF(slug, err)
 	}
 
 	// remove from bookkeeping
@@ -98,7 +103,7 @@ func (p purge) Run(context wisski_distillery.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	// remove the filesystem
-	logging.LogMessage(context.IOStream, "Remove lock data", instance.FilesystemBase)
+	logging.LogMessage(context.IOStream, "Remove lock data")
 	if instance.Locker().TryUnlock() {
 		context.EPrintln("instance was not locked")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/dis/component/triplestore/database.go b/internal/dis/component/triplestore/database.go
index 9423ba1..33b19cd 100644
--- a/internal/dis/component/triplestore/database.go
+++ b/internal/dis/component/triplestore/database.go
@@ -99,25 +99,27 @@ func (ts Triplestore) Wait() error {
 	}, ts.PollContext, ts.PollInterval)
 }
 
-// TriplestorePurgeUser deletes the specified user from the triplestore
+// PurgeUser deletes the specified user from the triplestore.
+// When the user does not exist, returns no error.
 func (ts Triplestore) PurgeUser(user string) error {
 	res, err := ts.OpenRaw("DELETE", "/rest/security/users/"+user, nil, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusNoContent {
+	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusNoContent && res.StatusCode != http.StatusNotFound {
 		return errors.Errorf("Delete returned code %d", res.StatusCode)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
-// TriplestorePurgeRepo deletes the specified repo from the triplestore
+// PurgeRepo deletes the specified repo from the triplestore.
+// When the repo does not exist, returns no error.
 func (ts Triplestore) PurgeRepo(repo string) error {
 	res, err := ts.OpenRaw("DELETE", "/rest/repositories/"+repo, nil, "", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK && res.StatusCode != http.StatusNotFound {
 		return errors.Errorf("Delete returned code %d", res.StatusCode)
 	}
 	return nil