diff --git a/pkg/commands/git.go b/pkg/commands/git.go
index 3349e4860..94c3c3e1c 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (c *GitCommand) GetStatusFiles() []File {
 		stagedChange := change[0:1]
 		unstagedChange := statusString[1:2]
 		filename := statusString[3:]
-		tracked := !includes([]string{"??", "A "}, change)
+		tracked := !includes([]string{"??", "A ", "AM"}, change)
 		file := File{
 			Name:               filename,
 			DisplayString:      statusString,
@@ -358,11 +358,16 @@ func (c *GitCommand) IsInMergeState() (bool, error) {
 // RemoveFile directly
 func (c *GitCommand) RemoveFile(file File) error {
 	// if the file isn't tracked, we assume you want to delete it
+	if file.HasStagedChanges {
+		if err := c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git reset -- " + file.Name); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
 	if !file.Tracked {
-		return os.RemoveAll(file.Name)
+		return os.RemoveAll(c.OSCommand.Unquote(file.Name))
 	}
 	// if the file is tracked, we assume you want to just check it out
-	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git checkout " + file.Name)
+	return c.OSCommand.RunCommand("git checkout -- " + file.Name)
 }
 
 // Checkout checks out a branch, with --force if you set the force arg to true
diff --git a/pkg/commands/os.go b/pkg/commands/os.go
index 32514a419..b72585e44 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/os.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/os.go
@@ -167,3 +167,10 @@ func (c *OSCommand) Quote(message string) string {
 	message = strings.Replace(message, "`", "\\`", -1)
 	return c.Platform.escapedQuote + message + c.Platform.escapedQuote
 }
+
+// Unquote removes wrapping quotations marks if they are present
+// this is needed for removing quotes from staged filenames with spaces
+func (c *OSCommand) Unquote(message string) string {
+	message = strings.Replace(message, `"`, "", -1)
+	return message
+}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
index 166af4108..596eb80cc 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleFileRemove(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	)
 	return gui.createConfirmationPanel(g, v, strings.Title(deleteVerb)+" file", message, func(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		if err := gui.GitCommand.RemoveFile(file); err != nil {
-			panic(err)
+			return err
 		}
 		return gui.refreshFiles(g)
 	}, nil)