diff --git a/smartgears/gcubeapp-setup/tasks/main.yml b/smartgears/gcubeapp-setup/tasks/main.yml
index 7a54d3d5..96c37070 100644
--- a/smartgears/gcubeapp-setup/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/smartgears/gcubeapp-setup/tasks/main.yml
@@ -13,3 +13,17 @@
   when: gcubehandlers_setup
   tags: [ 'smartgears', 'gcubeapp' ]
 
+- name: Remove the gcube-app.xml file when it is not needed
+  file: dest={{ item.webapp_path | default('/home/gcube/tomcat') }}/webapps/{{ item.webapp_context }}/WEB-INF/gcube-app.xml owner={{ smartgears_user }} group={{ smartgears_user }} state=absent
+  with_items: '{{ gcubeapp_webapps | default([]) }}'
+  notify: Restart smartgears
+  when: not gcubeapp_setup
+  tags: [ 'smartgears', 'gcubeapp' ]
+
+- name: Remove the gcube-handlers.xml file when it is not needed
+  file: dest={{ item.webapp_path | default('/home/gcube/tomcat') }}/webapps/{{ item.webapp_context }}/WEB-INF/gcube-handlers.xml owner={{ smartgears_user }} group={{ smartgears_user }} state=absent
+  with_items: '{{ gcubeapp_webapps | default([]) }}'
+  notify: Restart smartgears
+  when: not gcubehandlers_setup
+  tags: [ 'smartgears', 'gcubeapp' ]
+