diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index a82061a6..9ce6aa46 100755
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-4.1.12-develop2
+4.1.12-develop3
diff --git a/modules/core/remove_orphaned.py b/modules/core/remove_orphaned.py
index a8179de1..b4fe7fb6 100644
--- a/modules/core/remove_orphaned.py
+++ b/modules/core/remove_orphaned.py
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ def rem_orphaned(self):
         logger.separator("Checking for Orphaned Files", space=False, border=False)
         torrent_files = []
         orphaned_files = []
-        excluded_orphan_files = []
+        excluded_orphan_files = set()
+        exclude_patterns = []
 
         root_files = self.executor.submit(util.get_root_files, self.root_dir, self.remote_dir, self.orphaned_dir)
 
@@ -54,11 +55,13 @@ def rem_orphaned(self):
                 exclude_pattern.replace(self.remote_dir, self.root_dir)
                 for exclude_pattern in self.config.orphaned["exclude_patterns"]
             ]
-            excluded_orphan_files = [
-                file for file in orphaned_files for exclude_pattern in exclude_patterns if fnmatch(file, exclude_pattern)
-            ]
 
-        orphaned_files = set(orphaned_files) - set(excluded_orphan_files)
+            for file in orphaned_files:
+                for exclude_pattern in exclude_patterns:
+                    if fnmatch(file, exclude_pattern):
+                        excluded_orphan_files.add(file)
+
+        orphaned_files = orphaned_files - excluded_orphan_files
 
         # Check the threshold before deleting orphaned files
         max_orphaned_files_to_delete = self.config.orphaned.get("max_orphaned_files_to_delete")
@@ -105,7 +108,9 @@ def rem_orphaned(self):
                 orphaned_parent_path = set(self.executor.map(self.handle_orphaned_files, orphaned_files))
                 logger.print_line("Removing newly empty directories", self.config.loglevel)
                 self.executor.map(
-                    lambda directory: util.remove_empty_directories(directory, self.qbt.get_category_save_paths()),
+                    lambda directory: util.remove_empty_directories(
+                        directory, self.qbt.get_category_save_paths(), exclude_patterns
+                    ),
                     orphaned_parent_path,
                 )
 
diff --git a/modules/util.py b/modules/util.py
index d028e6dd..b32b084f 100755
--- a/modules/util.py
+++ b/modules/util.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import shutil
 import signal
 import time
+from fnmatch import fnmatch
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import requests
@@ -486,7 +487,7 @@ def copy_files(src, dest):
         logger.error(ex)
 
 
-def remove_empty_directories(pathlib_root_dir, excluded_paths=None):
+def remove_empty_directories(pathlib_root_dir, excluded_paths=None, exclude_patterns=[]):
     """Remove empty directories recursively, optimized version."""
     pathlib_root_dir = Path(pathlib_root_dir)
     if excluded_paths is not None:
@@ -499,6 +500,14 @@ def remove_empty_directories(pathlib_root_dir, excluded_paths=None):
         if excluded_paths and root_path in excluded_paths:
             continue
 
+        exclude_pattern_match = False
+        for exclude_pattern in exclude_patterns:
+            if fnmatch(os.path.join(root, ""), exclude_pattern):
+                exclude_pattern_match = True
+                break
+        if exclude_pattern_match:
+            continue
+
         # Attempt to remove the directory if it's empty
         try:
             os.rmdir(root)