diff --git a/bin.js b/bin.js
index b037028..1242a91 100755
--- a/bin.js
+++ b/bin.js
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ cli
       const status = await require('./pkg/check.js')();
       console.info(options.dev ? status : status.msg);
     } catch (err) {
-      console.error(err instanceof EnhancerError ? err.message : err);
+      console.error(
+        err instanceof EnhancerError && !options.dev ? err.message : err
+      );
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/pkg/apply.js b/pkg/apply.js
index 80dd730..ebfa5cb 100644
--- a/pkg/apply.js
+++ b/pkg/apply.js
@@ -28,9 +28,11 @@ module.exports = async function ({ overwrite_version, friendly_errors } = {}) {
     const check_app = await require('./check.js')();
     switch (check_app.code) {
       case 1:
+        throw Error(check_app.msg);
+      case 2:
         console.info(`~~ notion-enhancer v${version} already applied.`);
         return true;
-      case 2:
+      case 3:
         console.warn(` * ${check_app.msg}`);
         const valid = () =>
           typeof overwrite_version === 'string' &&
@@ -60,12 +62,16 @@ module.exports = async function ({ overwrite_version, friendly_errors } = {}) {
           return false;
         }
     }
-    console.info(' ...unpacking app.asar.');
-    const asar_app = path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar`),
-      asar_bak = path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar.bak`);
-    extractAll(asar_app, `${path.resolve(`${__notion}/app`)}`);
-    if (await fs.pathExists(asar_bak)) fs.remove(asar_bak);
-    await fs.move(asar_app, asar_bak);
+    if (check_app.executable.endsWith('app.asar')) {
+      console.info(' ...unpacking app.asar.');
+      const asar_bak = path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar.bak`);
+      extractAll(check_app.executable, `${path.resolve(`${__notion}/app`)}`);
+      if (await fs.pathExists(asar_bak)) fs.remove(asar_bak);
+      await fs.move(check_app.executable, asar_bak);
+    } else {
+      console.info(' ...backing up default app.');
+      await fs.copy(check_app.executable, check_app.executable + '.bak');
+    }
 
     // patching launch script target of custom wrappers
     if (
@@ -149,7 +155,7 @@ module.exports = async function ({ overwrite_version, friendly_errors } = {}) {
       }
     }
 
-    // not resolved, nothing else in application depends on it
+    // not resolved, nothing else in apply process depends on it
     // so it's just a "let it do its thing"
     console.info(' ...recording enhancement version.');
     fs.outputFile(
@@ -177,7 +183,7 @@ module.exports = async function ({ overwrite_version, friendly_errors } = {}) {
                     )}"`
                   : ''
               }`
-        }`
+        }, and make sure path(s) are not open.`
       );
     } else if (['EIO', 'EBUSY'].includes(err.code) && friendly_errors) {
       console.error("file access failed: make sure notion isn't running!");
diff --git a/pkg/check.js b/pkg/check.js
index d57d93e..6a19fde 100644
--- a/pkg/check.js
+++ b/pkg/check.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module.exports = async function () {
       backup = resolvePath(backup);
       executable = backup.replace(/\.bak$/, '');
       await fs.move(backup, executable);
-    } else executable = resolvePath(executable);
+    } else executable = executable ? resolvePath(executable) : '';
     return executable
       ? {
           code: 0,
diff --git a/pkg/remove.js b/pkg/remove.js
index ee1e871..b6e301c 100644
--- a/pkg/remove.js
+++ b/pkg/remove.js
@@ -19,26 +19,20 @@ const fs = require('fs-extra'),
 // ### error ###
 
 module.exports = async function ({ delete_data, friendly_errors } = {}) {
-  const __notion = getNotionResources();
   try {
+    const __notion = getNotionResources(),
+      check_app = await require('./check.js')();
     // extracted asar: modded
-    const app_folder = path.resolve(`${__notion}/app`);
-    if (await fs.pathExists(app_folder)) {
-      console.info(` ...removing folder ${app_folder}`);
-      await fs.remove(app_folder);
-    } else console.warn(` * ${app_folder} not found: step skipped.`);
+    if (check_app.code > 1 && check_app.executable) {
+      console.info(` ...removing enhancements`);
+      await fs.remove(check_app.executable);
+    } else console.warn(` * enhancements not found: step skipped.`);
 
     // restoring original asar
-    const asar_bak = path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar.bak`);
-    if (await fs.pathExists(asar_bak)) {
-      console.info(' ...moving asar.app.bak to app.asar');
-
-      if (await fs.pathExists(path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar`))) {
-        console.warn(' * app.asar already exists!');
-        console.info(' -- removing app.asar.bak');
-        fs.remove(asar_bak);
-      } else await fs.move(asar_bak, path.resolve(`${__notion}/app.asar`));
-    } else console.warn(` * ${asar_bak} not found: step skipped.`);
+    if (check_app.backup) {
+      console.info(' ...restoring backup');
+      await fs.move(check_app.backup, check_app.backup.replace(/\.bak$/, ''));
+    } else console.warn(` * backup not found: step skipped.`);
 
     // cleaning data folder: ~/.notion-enhancer
     if (await fs.pathExists(__data)) {
@@ -107,7 +101,7 @@ module.exports = async function ({ delete_data, friendly_errors } = {}) {
                     )}"`
                   : ''
               }`
-        }`
+        }, and make sure path(s) are not open.`
       );
     } else if (['EIO', 'EBUSY'].includes(err.code) && friendly_errors) {
       console.error("file access failed: make sure notion isn't running!");