diff --git a/elem.c b/elem.c
index 0db0d212..785a1a23 100644
--- a/elem.c
+++ b/elem.c
@@ -230,9 +230,27 @@ int filter_dir(tommy_list* filterlist, const char* disk, const char* sub)
 	return filter_element(filterlist, disk, sub, 1);
 }
 
-int filter_existence(int filter_missing, unsigned flag)
+int filter_existence(int filter_missing, const char* dir, const char* sub)
 {
-	return filter_missing && (flag & FILE_IS_PRESENT) == FILE_IS_PRESENT;
+	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	struct stat st;
+
+	if (!filter_missing)
+		return 0;
+
+	/* we directly check if in the disk the file is present or not */
+	pathprint(path, sizeof(path), "%s%s", dir, sub);
+	
+	if (lstat(path, &st) != 0) {
+		/* if the file doesn't exist, we don't filter it out */
+		if (errno == ENOENT)
+			return 0;
+		fprintf(stderr, "Error in stat file '%s'. %s.\n", path, strerror(errno));
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	/* the file is presen, so we filter it out */
+	return 1;
 }
 
 int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* path)
diff --git a/elem.h b/elem.h
index 3722cf31..40d60665 100644
--- a/elem.h
+++ b/elem.h
@@ -304,26 +304,27 @@ static inline int filter_hidden(int enable, struct dirent* dd)
 /**
  * Filters a path using a list of filters.
  * For each element of the path all the filters are applied, until the first one that matches.
- * Return !=0 if it matches and it should be excluded.
+ * Return !=0 if it should be excluded.
  */
 int filter_path(tommy_list* filterlist, const char* disk, const char* sub);
 
 /**
  * Filter a file/link/dir if missing.
- * Return !=0 if it matches and it should be excluded.
+ * This call imply a disk check for the file presence.
+ * Return !=0 if the file is present and it should be excluded.
  */
-int filter_existence(int filter_missing, unsigned flag);
+int filter_existence(int filter_missing, const char* dir, const char* sub);
 
 /**
  * Filters a dir using a list of filters.
  * For each element of the path all the filters are applied, until the first one that matches.
- * Return !=0 if it matches and it should be excluded.
+ * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
  */
 int filter_dir(tommy_list* filterlist, const char* disk, const char* sub);
 
 /**
  * Filters a path if it's a content file.
- * Return !=0 if it matches and it should be excluded.
+ * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
  */
 int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* path);
 
diff --git a/state.c b/state.c
index bd5d8bce..2548d64e 100644
--- a/state.c
+++ b/state.c
@@ -1837,13 +1837,17 @@ void state_filter(struct snapraid_state* state, tommy_list* filterlist_file, tom
 		tommy_node* j;
 		struct snapraid_disk* disk = i->data;
 
+		/* if we filter for presence, we have to access the disk, so better to print something */
+		if (filter_missing)
+			printf("Scanning disk %s...\n", disk->name);
+
 		/* for each file */
 		for(j=tommy_list_head(&disk->filelist);j!=0;j=j->next) {
 			struct snapraid_file* file = j->data;
 
-			if (filter_existence(filter_missing, file->flag) != 0
-				|| filter_path(filterlist_disk, disk->name, file->sub) != 0
+			if (filter_path(filterlist_disk, disk->name, file->sub) != 0
 				|| filter_path(filterlist_file, disk->name, file->sub) != 0
+				|| filter_existence(filter_missing, disk->dir, file->sub) != 0
 			) {
 				file_flag_set(file, FILE_IS_EXCLUDED);
 			}
@@ -1857,9 +1861,9 @@ void state_filter(struct snapraid_state* state, tommy_list* filterlist_file, tom
 		for(j=tommy_list_head(&disk->linklist);j!=0;j=j->next) {
 			struct snapraid_link* link = j->data;
 
-			if (filter_existence(filter_missing, link->flag) != 0
-				|| filter_path(filterlist_disk, disk->name, link->sub) != 0
+			if (filter_path(filterlist_disk, disk->name, link->sub) != 0
 				|| filter_path(filterlist_file, disk->name, link->sub) != 0
+				|| filter_existence(filter_missing, disk->dir, link->sub) != 0
 			) {
 				link_flag_set(link, FILE_IS_EXCLUDED);
 			}
@@ -1873,9 +1877,9 @@ void state_filter(struct snapraid_state* state, tommy_list* filterlist_file, tom
 		for(j=tommy_list_head(&disk->dirlist);j!=0;j=j->next) {
 			struct snapraid_dir* dir = j->data;
 
-			if (filter_existence(filter_missing, dir->flag) != 0
-				|| filter_dir(filterlist_disk, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
+			if (filter_dir(filterlist_disk, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
 				|| filter_dir(filterlist_file, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
+				|| filter_existence(filter_missing, disk->dir, dir->sub) != 0
 			) {
 				dir_flag_set(dir, FILE_IS_EXCLUDED);
 			}