diff --git a/app/api/files/files.ts b/app/api/files/files.ts
index 1c91d0c9ce..dad29a898d 100644
--- a/app/api/files/files.ts
+++ b/app/api/files/files.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* eslint-disable max-statements */
 import entities from 'api/entities';
 import { applicationEventsBus } from 'api/eventsbus';
 import { mimeTypeFromUrl } from 'api/files/extensionHelper';
@@ -25,11 +26,19 @@ const deduceMimeType = (_file: FileType) => {
   return file;
 };
 
+export class UpdateFileError extends Error {
+  constructor() {
+    super('Can not update a File that does not exist');
+  }
+}
+
 export const files = {
   async save(_file: FileType, index = true) {
     const file = deduceMimeType(_file);
 
     const existingFile = file._id ? await filesModel.getById(file._id) : undefined;
+    if (file._id && !existingFile) throw new UpdateFileError();
+
     const savedFile = await filesModel.save(await validateFile(file));
     if (index) {
       await search.indexEntities({ sharedId: savedFile.entity }, '+fullText');
diff --git a/app/api/files/processDocument.ts b/app/api/files/processDocument.ts
index f09a9a15cd..8aaba3f2b8 100644
--- a/app/api/files/processDocument.ts
+++ b/app/api/files/processDocument.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+/* eslint-disable max-statements */
 import { convertToPDFService } from 'api/services/convertToPDF/convertToPdfService';
 import settings from 'api/settings';
 import { FileType } from 'shared/types/fileType';
 
-import { files } from './files';
+import { files, UpdateFileError } from './files';
 import { PDF } from './PDF';
 
 export const processPDF = async (
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ export const processPDF = async (
   file: FileType & { destination?: string },
   detectLanguage = true
 ) => {
+  let thumbnail;
   const pdf = new PDF(file);
   const upload = await files.save({
     ...file,
@@ -24,7 +26,13 @@ export const processPDF = async (
       conversion.language = file.language;
     }
 
-    const thumbnail = await pdf.createThumbnail(upload._id.toString());
+    const saved = await files.save({
+      ...upload,
+      ...conversion,
+      status: 'ready',
+    });
+
+    thumbnail = await pdf.createThumbnail(upload._id.toString());
 
     await files.save({
       entity: entitySharedId,
@@ -34,18 +42,13 @@ export const processPDF = async (
       mimetype: 'image/jpeg',
     });
 
-    const saved = await files.save({
-      ...upload,
-      ...conversion,
-      status: 'ready',
-    });
-
     return saved;
   } catch (e) {
     await files.save({
       ...upload,
       status: 'failed',
     });
+
     throw e;
   }
 };
diff --git a/app/api/files/specs/files.spec.ts b/app/api/files/specs/files.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6235a79fc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/api/files/specs/files.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import testingDB from 'api/utils/testing_db';
+import { testingEnvironment } from 'api/utils/testingEnvironment';
+import { files, UpdateFileError } from '../files';
+
+describe('Files', () => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    await testingEnvironment.setUp({});
+  });
+
+  afterAll(async () => testingEnvironment.tearDown());
+
+  it('should not update a File if no longer exist', async () => {
+    const promise = files.save({
+      _id: testingDB.id(),
+      filename: 'any_file_name',
+      originalname: 'any_original_name',
+      entity: '123',
+      language: 'en',
+    });
+
+    await expect(promise).rejects.toEqual(new UpdateFileError());
+
+    const [result] = await files.get({});
+
+    expect(result).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/app/api/files/specs/processDocument.spec.ts b/app/api/files/specs/processDocument.spec.ts
index b6576db1cb..9397ad2655 100644
--- a/app/api/files/specs/processDocument.spec.ts
+++ b/app/api/files/specs/processDocument.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import testingDB from 'api/utils/testing_db';
 import {
   convertToPDFService,
   MimeTypeNotSupportedForConversion,
@@ -5,7 +6,7 @@ import {
 import { testingEnvironment } from 'api/utils/testingEnvironment';
 // eslint-disable-next-line node/no-restricted-import
 import { writeFile } from 'fs/promises';
-import { files } from '../files';
+import { files, UpdateFileError } from '../files';
 import { attachmentsPath, setupTestUploadedPaths } from '../filesystem';
 import { processDocument } from '../processDocument';
 
@@ -76,4 +77,20 @@ describe('processDocument', () => {
       expect(file).toBeUndefined();
     });
   });
+
+  it('should not persist file or thumbnail if there is an UpdateFileError', async () => {
+    const _id = testingDB.id();
+    const promise = processDocument('any_entity_shared_id', {
+      _id,
+      filename: 'any_file_name',
+      originalname: 'any_original_name',
+    });
+
+    await expect(promise).rejects.toEqual(new UpdateFileError());
+    const [file] = await files.get({ _id });
+    const [thumbnail] = await files.get({ entity: _id, type: 'thumbnail' });
+
+    expect(file).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(thumbnail).toBeUndefined();
+  });
 });