diff --git a/py/webnotes/__init__.py b/py/webnotes/__init__.py
index 3a075d201b..5e9f7d0b21 100644
--- a/py/webnotes/__init__.py
+++ b/py/webnotes/__init__.py
@@ -87,12 +87,35 @@ def create_folder(path):
 	
 	try:
 		os.makedirs(path)
-	except Exception, e:
-		if e.args[0]==17: 
-			pass
-		else: 
+	except OSError, e:
+		if e.args[0]!=17: 
 			raise e
 
+def create_symlink(source_path, link_path):
+	"""
+	Wrapper function for os.symlink (does not throw exception if directory exists)
+	"""
+	import os
+	
+	try:
+		os.symlink(source_path, link_path)
+	except OSError, e:
+		if e.args[0]!=17: 
+			raise e
+
+def remove_file(path):
+	"""
+	Wrapper function for os.remove (does not throw exception if file/symlink does not exists)
+	"""
+	import os
+	
+	try:
+		os.remove(path)
+	except OSError, e:
+		if e.args[0]!=2: 
+			raise e
+
+
 def connect(db_name=None):
 	"""
 		Connect to this db (or db), if called from command prompt
@@ -128,4 +151,4 @@ def get_db_password(db_name):
 		return defs.db_password
 		
 	else:
-		return db_name
\ No newline at end of file
+		return db_name
diff --git a/py/webnotes/boot.py b/py/webnotes/boot.py
index d9a06bd352..c8e8450143 100644
--- a/py/webnotes/boot.py
+++ b/py/webnotes/boot.py
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ def get_bootinfo():
 	# control panel
 	import webnotes.model.doc
 	cp = webnotes.model.doc.getsingle('Control Panel')
+
+	# remove email settings from control panel dict
+	for field in ['mail_login', 'mail_password', 'mail_port', 'outgoing_mail_server', 'use_ssl']:
+		del cp[field]
 	
 	# system info
 	bootinfo['control_panel'] = cp