diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/ExecuteWorkflow.java b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/ExecuteWorkflow.java
index 56610fbab..981de5de1 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/ExecuteWorkflow.java
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/ExecuteWorkflow.java
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ public class ExecuteWorkflow {
 	static String usageStatsDBSchema;
 	static String statsDBSchema;
 	static boolean recreateDbAndTables;
+
+	static boolean piwikEmptyDirs;
 	static boolean downloadPiwikLogs;
 	static boolean processPiwikLogs;
 
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ public class ExecuteWorkflow {
 	static int numberOfPiwikIdsToDownload;
 	static int numberOfSiteIdsToDownload;
 
+	static boolean laReferenciaEmptyDirs;
 	static boolean downloadLaReferenciaLogs;
 	static boolean processLaReferenciaLogs;
 
@@ -98,6 +101,11 @@ public class ExecuteWorkflow {
 		else
 			recreateDbAndTables = false;
 
+		if (parser.get("piwikEmptyDirs").toLowerCase().equals("true"))
+			piwikEmptyDirs = true;
+		else
+			piwikEmptyDirs = false;
+
 		if (parser.get("downloadPiwikLogs").toLowerCase().equals("true"))
 			downloadPiwikLogs = true;
 		else
@@ -119,6 +127,11 @@ public class ExecuteWorkflow {
 		numberOfPiwikIdsToDownload = Integer.parseInt(parser.get("numberOfPiwikIdsToDownload"));
 		numberOfSiteIdsToDownload = Integer.parseInt(parser.get("numberOfSiteIdsToDownload"));
 
+		if (parser.get("laReferenciaEmptyDirs").toLowerCase().equals("true"))
+			laReferenciaEmptyDirs = true;
+		else
+			laReferenciaEmptyDirs = false;
+
 		if (parser.get("downloadLaReferenciaLogs").toLowerCase().equals("true"))
 			downloadLaReferenciaLogs = true;
 		else
diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/PiwikStatsDB.java b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/PiwikStatsDB.java
index cc5c06f5d..63df64ac4 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/PiwikStatsDB.java
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/PiwikStatsDB.java
@@ -39,6 +39,22 @@ public class PiwikStatsDB {
 
 	}
 
+	public void reCreateLogDirs() throws IllegalArgumentException, IOException {
+		FileSystem dfs = FileSystem.get(new Configuration());
+
+		logger.info("Deleting repoLog directory: " + ExecuteWorkflow.repoLogPath);
+		dfs.delete(new Path(ExecuteWorkflow.repoLogPath), true);
+
+		logger.info("Deleting portalLog directory: " + ExecuteWorkflow.portalLogPath);
+		dfs.delete(new Path(ExecuteWorkflow.portalLogPath), true);
+
+		logger.info("Creating repoLog directory: " + ExecuteWorkflow.repoLogPath);
+		dfs.mkdirs(new Path(ExecuteWorkflow.repoLogPath));
+
+		logger.info("Creating portalLog directory: " + ExecuteWorkflow.portalLogPath);
+		dfs.mkdirs(new Path(ExecuteWorkflow.portalLogPath));
+	}
+
 	public void recreateDBAndTables() throws Exception {
 		this.createDatabase();
 		this.createTables();
diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/UsageStatsExporter.java b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/UsageStatsExporter.java
index c9883d0f7..1c6035543 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/UsageStatsExporter.java
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/oa/graph/usagestats/export/UsageStatsExporter.java
@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ public class UsageStatsExporter {
 		logger.info("Initializing the download logs module");
 		PiwikDownloadLogs piwd = new PiwikDownloadLogs(ExecuteWorkflow.matomoBaseURL, ExecuteWorkflow.matomoAuthToken);
 
+		if (ExecuteWorkflow.piwikEmptyDirs) {
+			logger.info("Recreating Piwik log directories");
+			piwikstatsdb.reCreateLogDirs();
+		}
+
 		// Downloading piwik logs (also managing directory creation)
 		if (ExecuteWorkflow.downloadPiwikLogs) {
-			logger.info("Recreating log directories");
-			reCreateLogDirs();
-
 			logger.info("Downloading piwik logs");
 			piwd
 				.GetOpenAIRELogs(
@@ -90,6 +92,11 @@ public class UsageStatsExporter {
 		LaReferenciaDownloadLogs lrf = new LaReferenciaDownloadLogs(ExecuteWorkflow.lareferenciaBaseURL,
 			ExecuteWorkflow.lareferenciaAuthToken);
 
+		if (ExecuteWorkflow.laReferenciaEmptyDirs) {
+			logger.info("Recreating LaReferencia log directories");
+			piwikstatsdb.reCreateLogDirs();
+		}
+
 		if (ExecuteWorkflow.downloadLaReferenciaLogs) {
 			logger.info("Downloading LaReferencia logs");
 			lrf.GetLaReferenciaRepos(ExecuteWorkflow.lareferenciaLogPath);
diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/export/usagestats_parameters.json b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/export/usagestats_parameters.json
index cc621a958..3d282a7a7 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/export/usagestats_parameters.json
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/export/usagestats_parameters.json
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@
     "paramDescription": "Re-create database and initial tables?",
     "paramRequired": true
   },
+  {
+    "paramName": "pwed",
+    "paramLongName": "piwikEmptyDirs",
+    "paramDescription": "Empty piwik directories?",
+    "paramRequired": true
+  },
   {
     "paramName": "ppwl",
     "paramLongName": "processPiwikLogs",
@@ -137,6 +143,12 @@
     "paramDescription": "Limit the number of the downloaded siteids (La Referencia logs) to the first numberOfSiteIdsToDownload",
     "paramRequired": true
   },
+  {
+    "paramName": "lerd",
+    "paramLongName": "laReferenciaEmptyDirs",
+    "paramDescription": "Empty LaReferencia directories?",
+    "paramRequired": true
+  },
   {
     "paramName": "plrl",
     "paramLongName": "processLaReferenciaLogs",
diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/oozie_app/workflow.xml b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/oozie_app/workflow.xml
index ac1514ef2..2ad3e6669 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/oozie_app/workflow.xml
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-usage-stats-update/src/main/resources/eu/dnetlib/dhp/oa/graph/usagestats/oozie_app/workflow.xml
@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@
             <arg>--usageStatsDBSchema</arg><arg>${usageStatsDBSchema}</arg>
             <arg>--statsDBSchema</arg><arg>${statsDBSchema}</arg>
             <arg>--recreateDbAndTables</arg><arg>${recreateDbAndTables}</arg>
+            <arg>--piwikEmptyDirs</arg><arg>${piwikEmptyDirs}</arg>
             <arg>--downloadPiwikLogs</arg><arg>${downloadPiwikLogs}</arg>
             <arg>--processPiwikLogs</arg><arg>${processPiwikLogs}</arg>
             <arg>--startingLogPeriod</arg><arg>${startingLogPeriod}</arg>
             <arg>--endingLogPeriod</arg><arg>${endingLogPeriod}</arg>
             <arg>--numberOfPiwikIdsToDownload</arg><arg>${numberOfPiwikIdsToDownload}</arg>
             <arg>--numberOfSiteIdsToDownload</arg><arg>${numberOfSiteIdsToDownload}</arg>
+            <arg>--laReferenciaEmptyDirs</arg><arg>${laReferenciaEmptyDirs}</arg>
             <arg>--downloadLaReferenciaLogs</arg><arg>${downloadLaReferenciaLogs}</arg>
             <arg>--processLaReferenciaLogs</arg><arg>${processLaReferenciaLogs}</arg>
             <arg>--irusCreateTablesEmptyDirs</arg><arg>${irusCreateTablesEmptyDirs}</arg>