diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index da6830d27..651481dee 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    example_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
-                                'xrspatial', 'examples')
-    if 'develop' not in sys.argv:
+    _package_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+    example_path = os.path.join(_package_dir, 'xrspatial', 'examples')
+    _is_develop = len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == 'develop'
+    if not _is_develop:
         pyct.build.examples(example_path, __file__, force=True)
 
     use_scm = {
@@ -19,4 +20,7 @@
     setup(use_scm_version=use_scm)
 
     if os.path.isdir(example_path):
-        shutil.rmtree(example_path)
+        _real_example_path = os.path.realpath(example_path)
+        _real_package_dir = os.path.realpath(_package_dir)
+        if _real_example_path.startswith(_real_package_dir + os.sep):
+            shutil.rmtree(example_path)