diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/FtpService.ts b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/FtpService.ts
index af2e5183..b812a9b0 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/FtpService.ts
+++ b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/FtpService.ts
@@ -16,31 +16,20 @@ export type FtpConfig = SingletonBaseConfig & {}
 
 export enum FolderNames {
   PbData = 'pb_data',
-  PbStatic = 'pb_static',
+  // PbStatic = 'pb_static',
   PbMigrations = 'pb_migrations',
   PbWorker = 'worker',
-  PbBackup = 'backup',
 }
 
-export const README_CONTENTS: { [_ in FolderNames]: string } = {
-  [FolderNames.PbBackup]: `This directory contains tgz backups of your data. PocketHost creates these automatically, or you can create them manually. For more information, see https://pockethost.io/docs/backups`,
-  [FolderNames.PbData]: `This directory contains your PocketBase data. For more information, see https://pockethost.io/docs/data`,
-  [FolderNames.PbStatic]: `This directory contains static files such as your web frontend. PocketHost will serve these when your instance URL receives a request. For more information, see https://pockethost.io/docs/static `,
-  [FolderNames.PbWorker]: `This directory contains your Deno worker. For more information, see https://pockethost.io/docs/workers`,
-  [FolderNames.PbMigrations]: `This directory contains your migrations. For more information, see https://pockethost.io/docs/migrations`,
-}
-export const README_NAME = 'readme.md'
-
-export const FOLDER_NAMES: FolderNames[] = [
-  FolderNames.PbBackup,
+export const INSTANCE_ROOT_FOLDER_NAMES: FolderNames[] = [
   FolderNames.PbData,
-  FolderNames.PbStatic,
+  // FolderNames.PbStatic,
   FolderNames.PbWorker,
   FolderNames.PbMigrations,
 ]
 
-export function isFolder(name: string): name is FolderNames {
-  return FOLDER_NAMES.includes(name as FolderNames)
+export function isInstanceRootFolder(name: string): name is FolderNames {
+  return INSTANCE_ROOT_FOLDER_NAMES.includes(name as FolderNames)
 }
 
 const tls = {
diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/PhFs.ts b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/PhFs.ts
index a7b9a865..507f59c1 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/PhFs.ts
+++ b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/PhFs.ts
@@ -1,59 +1,180 @@
 import { DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR } from '$constants'
 import { Logger } from '@pockethost/common'
-import { existsSync, mkdirSync } from 'fs'
-import { FileStat, FileSystem, FtpConnection } from 'ftp-srv'
-import { join } from 'path'
-import { Readable } from 'stream'
-import { PocketbaseClientApi } from '../clientService/PbClient'
+import { compact, map } from '@s-libs/micro-dash'
 import {
-  FOLDER_NAMES,
-  isFolder,
-  README_CONTENTS,
-  README_NAME,
-} from './FtpService'
+  constants,
+  createReadStream,
+  createWriteStream,
+  existsSync,
+  mkdirSync,
+  Mode,
+} from 'fs'
+import { FileStat, FileSystem, FtpConnection } from 'ftp-srv'
+import { customAlphabet } from 'nanoid'
+import { isAbsolute, join, normalize, resolve, sep } from 'path'
+import { PocketbaseClientApi } from '../clientService/PbClient'
+import * as fsAsync from './fs-async'
+import { INSTANCE_ROOT_FOLDER_NAMES, isInstanceRootFolder } from './FtpService'
 
-export class PhFs extends FileSystem {
+const nanoid = customAlphabet(`abcdefghijklmnop`)
+
+export type PathError = {
+  cause: {
+    errno: number
+    code: string
+    syscall: string
+    path: string
+  }
+  isOperational: boolean
+  errno: number
+  code: string
+  syscall: string
+  path: string
+}
+
+const UNIX_SEP_REGEX = /\//g
+const WIN_SEP_REGEX = /\\/g
+
+export class PhFs implements FileSystem {
   private log: Logger
   private client: PocketbaseClientApi
+  connection: FtpConnection
+  cwd: string
+  private _root: string
 
   constructor(
     connection: FtpConnection,
     client: PocketbaseClientApi,
     logger: Logger
   ) {
-    super(connection, { root: '/', cwd: '/' })
+    const cwd = `/`
+    const root = DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR
+    this.connection = connection
     this.client = client
     this.log = logger.create(`PhFs`)
+    this.cwd = normalize((cwd || '/').replace(WIN_SEP_REGEX, '/'))
+    this._root = resolve(root || process.cwd())
   }
 
-  async chdir(path?: string | undefined): Promise<string> {
-    this.log.dbg(`chdir`, path)
-    if (!path) {
-      throw new Error(`Expected path`)
-    }
-    const _path = path.startsWith('/') ? path : join(this.cwd, path)
-    const [empty, subdomain] = _path.split('/')
-    this.log.dbg({ _path, subdomain })
+  get root() {
+    return this._root
+  }
 
-    if (subdomain) {
-      const instance = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
-      if (!instance) {
-        throw new Error(`Subdomain not found`)
+  async _resolvePath(path = '.') {
+    const { dbg } = this.log.create(`_resolvePath`)
+
+    // Unix separators normalize nicer on both unix and win platforms
+    const resolvedPath = path.replace(WIN_SEP_REGEX, '/')
+
+    // Join cwd with new path
+    const joinedPath = isAbsolute(resolvedPath)
+      ? normalize(resolvedPath)
+      : join('/', this.cwd, resolvedPath)
+
+    // Create local filesystem path using the platform separator
+    const [empty, subdomain, rootFolderName, ...pathFromRootFolder] =
+      joinedPath.split('/')
+    dbg({
+      joinedPath,
+      subdomain,
+      rootFolderName,
+      restOfPath: pathFromRootFolder,
+    })
+
+    // Check if the root folder name is valid
+    if (rootFolderName) {
+      if (!isInstanceRootFolder(rootFolderName)) {
+        throw new Error(`Accessing ${rootFolderName} is not allowed.`)
       }
     }
-    this.cwd = _path
-    return path
+
+    // Begin building the physical path
+    const fsPathParts: string[] = [this._root]
+
+    // Check if the instance is valid
+    const instance = await (async () => {
+      if (subdomain) {
+        const [instance] = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
+        if (!instance) {
+          throw new Error(`${subdomain} not found.`)
+        }
+        fsPathParts.push(instance.id)
+        if (rootFolderName) {
+          fsPathParts.push(rootFolderName)
+          // Ensure folder exists
+          const rootFolderFsPath = resolve(
+            join(...fsPathParts)
+              .replace(UNIX_SEP_REGEX, sep)
+              .replace(WIN_SEP_REGEX, sep)
+          )
+          if (!existsSync(rootFolderFsPath)) {
+            mkdirSync(rootFolderFsPath)
+          }
+        }
+        if (resolvedPath.length > 0) fsPathParts.push(...pathFromRootFolder)
+        return instance
+      }
+    })()
+
+    // Finalize the fs path
+    const fsPath = resolve(
+      join(...fsPathParts)
+        .replace(UNIX_SEP_REGEX, sep)
+        .replace(WIN_SEP_REGEX, sep)
+    )
+
+    // Create FTP client path using unix separator
+    const clientPath = joinedPath.replace(WIN_SEP_REGEX, '/')
+
+    dbg({
+      clientPath,
+      fsPath,
+      subdomain,
+      rootFolderName,
+      restOfPath: pathFromRootFolder,
+      instance,
+    })
+
+    return {
+      clientPath,
+      fsPath,
+      subdomain,
+      rootFolderName,
+      pathFromRootFolder,
+      instance,
+    }
   }
 
-  async list(path?: string | undefined): Promise<FileStat[]> {
-    this.log.dbg(`list ${path}`, this.cwd)
-    if (!path) {
-      throw new Error(`Expected path`)
-    }
-    const _path = path.startsWith('/') ? path : join(this.cwd, path)
-    const [empty, subdomain, folderName, ...restOfPath] = _path.split('/')
-    this.log.dbg({ _path, subdomain, folderName, restOfPath })
+  currentDirectory() {
+    return this.cwd
+  }
 
+  async chdir(path = '.') {
+    const { fsPath, clientPath } = await this._resolvePath(path)
+
+    return fsAsync
+      .stat(fsPath)
+      .then((stat) => {
+        if (!stat.isDirectory()) throw new Error('Not a valid directory')
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        this.cwd = clientPath
+        return this.currentDirectory()
+      })
+  }
+
+  async list(path = '.') {
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`list`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(path)
+
+    const { fsPath, subdomain, rootFolderName, instance } =
+      await this._resolvePath(path)
+
+    /*
+    If a subdomain is not specified, we are in the user's root. List all subdomains.
+    */
     if (subdomain === '') {
       const instances = await this.client.getInstances()
       return instances.map((i) => {
@@ -66,15 +187,22 @@ export class PhFs extends FileSystem {
         }
       })
     }
-    if (!subdomain) {
-      throw new Error(`Subdomain expected in ${_path}`)
-    }
-    const [instance, user] = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
+
+    /*
+    If we have a subdomain, then it should have resolved to an instance owned by that user
+    */
     if (!instance) {
-      throw new Error(`Expected instance here`)
+      throw new Error(
+        `Something as gone wrong. An instance without a subdomain is not possible.`
+      )
     }
-    if (!folderName) {
-      return FOLDER_NAMES.map((name) => ({
+
+    /*
+    If there is no root folder name, then we are in the instance root. In this case, list
+    our allowed folder names. 
+    */
+    if (!rootFolderName) {
+      return INSTANCE_ROOT_FOLDER_NAMES.map((name) => ({
         isDirectory: () => true,
         mode: 0o755,
         size: 0,
@@ -82,33 +210,46 @@ export class PhFs extends FileSystem {
         name: name,
       }))
     }
-    if (!isFolder(folderName)) {
-      throw new Error(`Top level folder name ${folderName} not allowed.`)
-    }
-    const dir = join(DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR, instance.id, folderName, ...restOfPath)
-    this.log.dbg({ dir, exists: existsSync(dir) })
-    return [
-      ...(restOfPath.length === 0
-        ? [
-            {
-              isDirectory: () => false,
-              mode: 0o444,
-              size: README_CONTENTS[folderName].length,
-              mtime: Date.parse(instance.updated),
-              name: README_NAME,
-            },
-          ]
-        : []),
-      ...(existsSync(dir) ? await super.list(dir) : []),
-    ]
+
+    /*
+    If we do have a root folder name, then we list its contents
+    */
+    return fsAsync
+      .readdir(fsPath)
+      .then((fileNames) => {
+        return Promise.all(
+          map(fileNames, (fileName) => {
+            const filePath = join(fsPath, fileName)
+            return fsAsync
+              .access(filePath, constants.F_OK)
+              .then(() => {
+                return fsAsync.stat(filePath).then((stat) => {
+                  const _stat = stat as unknown as FileStat
+                  _stat.name = fileName
+                  return _stat
+                })
+              })
+              .catch(() => null)
+          })
+        )
+      })
+      .then(compact)
   }
 
   async get(fileName: string): Promise<FileStat> {
-    const path = fileName.startsWith('/') ? fileName : join(this.cwd, fileName)
-    const [empty, subdomain, folderName, ...fNames] = path.split('/')
-    const fName = fNames.join('/')
-    this.log.dbg(`get`, { _path: path, subdomain, folderName, fName, fileName })
+    const { fsPath, subdomain, instance, rootFolderName, pathFromRootFolder } =
+      await this._resolvePath(fileName)
 
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`get`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(fileName)
+      .breadcrumb(fsPath)
+    dbg(`get`)
+
+    /*
+    If the subdomain is not specified, we are in the root
+    */
     if (!subdomain) {
       return {
         isDirectory: () => true,
@@ -118,11 +259,18 @@ export class PhFs extends FileSystem {
         name: '/',
       }
     }
-    const [instance, user] = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
+
+    /*
+    We are in a subdomain, we must have an instance
+    */
     if (!instance) {
       throw new Error(`Expected instance here`)
     }
-    if (!folderName) {
+
+    /*
+    If we don't have a root folder, we're at the instance subdomain level
+    */
+    if (!rootFolderName) {
       return {
         isDirectory: () => true,
         mode: 0o755,
@@ -131,116 +279,196 @@ export class PhFs extends FileSystem {
         name: subdomain,
       }
     }
-    if (!isFolder(folderName)) {
-      throw new Error(`Invalid folder name`)
-    }
-    if (!fName) {
+
+    /*
+    If we don't have a path beneath the root folder, we're at a root folder level
+    */
+    if (!pathFromRootFolder) {
       return {
         isDirectory: () => true,
         mode: 0o755,
         size: 0,
         mtime: Date.parse(instance.updated),
-        name: folderName,
+        name: rootFolderName,
       }
     }
-    const physicalPath = join(
-      DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR,
-      instance.id,
-      folderName,
-      fName
-    )
-    this.log.dbg({ physicalPath, exists: existsSync(physicalPath) })
 
-    return super.get(physicalPath)
+    /*
+    Otherwise, this might be an actual file
+    */
+    return fsAsync.stat(fsPath).then((stat) => {
+      const _stat = stat as unknown as FileStat
+      _stat.name = fileName
+      return _stat
+    })
   }
 
   async write(
     fileName: string,
     options?: { append?: boolean | undefined; start?: any } | undefined
   ) {
-    const _path = fileName.startsWith('/') ? fileName : join(this.cwd, fileName)
-    const [empty, subdomain, folderName, ...fNames] = _path.split('/')
-    const fName = fNames.join('/')
-    this.log.dbg(`read`, { subdomain, folderName, fName })
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`write`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(fileName)
+    dbg(`write`)
 
-    if (!subdomain) {
-      throw new Error(`Subdomain not found`)
-    }
-    if (!folderName) {
-      throw new Error(`Folder name expected here`)
-    }
-    const [instance, user] = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
-    if (!instance) {
-      throw new Error(`Expected instance here`)
-    }
-    if (!isFolder(folderName)) {
-      throw new Error(`Invalid folder name ${folderName}`)
+    const { fsPath, clientPath, pathFromRootFolder } = await this._resolvePath(
+      fileName
+    )
+    const { append, start } = options || {}
+
+    /*
+    If we are not in a root folder, disallow writing
+    */
+    if (pathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`write not allowed at this level`)
     }
 
-    if (fName === README_NAME) {
-      throw new Error(`Can't overwrite ${fName}`)
+    const stream = createWriteStream(fsPath, {
+      flags: !append ? 'w+' : 'a+',
+      start,
+    })
+    stream.once('error', () => fsAsync.unlink(fsPath))
+    stream.once('close', () => stream.end())
+    return {
+      stream,
+      clientPath,
     }
-    const dir = join(DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR, instance.id, folderName)
-    if (!existsSync(dir)) {
-      mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true })
-    }
-    return super.write(join(dir, fName), options)
   }
 
   async read(
     fileName: string,
     options: { start?: any } | undefined
   ): Promise<any> {
-    const _path = fileName.startsWith('/') ? fileName : join(this.cwd, fileName)
-    const [empty, subdomain, folderName, ...fNames] = _path.split('/')
-    const fName = fNames.join('/')
-    this.log.dbg(`read`, { subdomain, folderName, fName })
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`read`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(fileName)
+    dbg(`read`)
 
-    if (!subdomain) {
-      throw new Error(`Subdomain not found`)
-    }
-    if (!folderName) {
-      throw new Error(`Folder name expected here`)
-    }
-    const [instance, user] = await this.client.getInstanceBySubdomain(subdomain)
-    if (!instance) {
-      throw new Error(`Expected instance here`)
-    }
-    if (!isFolder(folderName)) {
-      throw new Error(`Invalid folder name ${folderName}`)
-    }
-
-    if (fName === README_NAME) {
-      return Readable.from([README_CONTENTS[folderName]])
-    }
-    const realPath = join(
-      `/`,
-      DAEMON_PB_DATA_DIR,
-      instance.id,
-      folderName,
-      fName
+    const { fsPath, clientPath, pathFromRootFolder } = await this._resolvePath(
+      fileName
     )
-    this.log.dbg({ realPath })
-    return super.read(realPath, options)
+
+    const { start } = options || {}
+
+    /*
+    If we are not in a root folder, disallow reading
+    */
+    if (pathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`read not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+
+    return fsAsync
+      .stat(fsPath)
+      .then((stat) => {
+        if (stat.isDirectory()) throw new Error('Cannot read a directory')
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        const stream = createReadStream(fsPath, { flags: 'r', start })
+        return {
+          stream,
+          clientPath,
+        }
+      })
   }
 
-  async delete(path: string): Promise<any> {
-    throw new Error(`delete ${path}`)
+  async delete(path: string) {
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`delete`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(path)
+    dbg(`delete`)
+
+    const { fsPath, clientPath, pathFromRootFolder } = await this._resolvePath(
+      path
+    )
+
+    /*
+    Disallow deleting if not inside root folder
+    */
+    if (pathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`delete not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+
+    return fsAsync.stat(fsPath).then((stat) => {
+      if (stat.isDirectory()) return fsAsync.rmdir(fsPath)
+      else return fsAsync.unlink(fsPath)
+    })
   }
 
-  async mkdir(path: string): Promise<any> {
-    throw new Error(`mkdir ${path}`)
+  async mkdir(path: string) {
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`mkdir`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(path)
+    dbg(`mkdir`)
+
+    const { fsPath, clientPath, pathFromRootFolder } = await this._resolvePath(
+      path
+    )
+
+    /*
+    Disallow making directories if not inside root folder
+    */
+    if (pathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`mkdir not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+
+    return fsAsync.mkdir(fsPath, { recursive: true }).then(() => fsPath)
   }
 
-  async rename(from: string, to: string): Promise<any> {
-    throw new Error(`rename ${from} ${to}`)
+  async rename(from: string, to: string) {
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`rename`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(from)
+      .breadcrumb(to)
+    dbg(`rename`)
+
+    const { fsPath: fromPath, pathFromRootFolder: fromPathFromRootFolder } =
+      await this._resolvePath(from)
+
+    const { fsPath: toPath, pathFromRootFolder: toPathFromRootFolder } =
+      await this._resolvePath(from)
+
+    /*
+    Disallow making directories if not inside root folder
+    */
+    if (fromPathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`rename not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+    if (toPathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`rename not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+
+    return fsAsync.rename(fromPath, toPath)
   }
 
-  async chmod(path: string, mode: string): Promise<any> {
-    throw new Error(`chmod ${path} ${mode}`)
+  async chmod(path: string, mode: Mode) {
+    const { dbg, error } = this.log
+      .create(`chmod`)
+      .breadcrumb(`cwd:${this.cwd}`)
+      .breadcrumb(path)
+      .breadcrumb(mode.toString())
+    dbg(`chmod`)
+
+    const { fsPath, clientPath, pathFromRootFolder } = await this._resolvePath(
+      path
+    )
+
+    /*
+    Disallow making directories if not inside root folder
+    */
+    if (pathFromRootFolder.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(`chmod not allowed at this level`)
+    }
+    return // noop
+    return fsAsync.chmod(fsPath, mode)
   }
 
-  getUniqueName(fileName: string): string {
-    throw new Error(`getUniqueName ${fileName}`)
+  getUniqueName() {
+    return nanoid(30)
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/fs-async.ts b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/fs-async.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5da1537a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/daemon/src/services/FtpService/fs-async.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import fs from 'fs'
+import { promisify } from 'util'
+
+const stat = promisify(fs.stat)
+const readdir = promisify(fs.readdir)
+const access = promisify(fs.access)
+const unlink = promisify(fs.unlink)
+const rmdir = promisify(fs.rmdir)
+const mkdir = promisify(fs.mkdir)
+const rename = promisify(fs.rename)
+const chmod = promisify(fs.chmod)
+
+export { stat, readdir, access, unlink, rmdir, mkdir, rename, chmod }
diff --git a/packages/daemon/tsconfig.json b/packages/daemon/tsconfig.json
index 23fcb9c0..6179200c 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/tsconfig.json
+++ b/packages/daemon/tsconfig.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     "skipLibCheck": true,
     "sourceMap": true,
     "strict": true,
+    "target": "ESNext",
     "module": "ESNext",
     "moduleResolution": "node",
     "noUncheckedIndexedAccess": true,