diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/tasks.py b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/tasks.py
index e1558d7..6de4bc0 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/commands/tasks.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/commands/tasks.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import logging
 
 from anemoi.registry.commands.base import BaseCommand
+from anemoi.registry.entry import CatalogueEntryNotFound
 from anemoi.registry.tasks import TaskCatalogueEntry
 from anemoi.registry.tasks import TaskCatalogueEntryList
 from anemoi.registry.utils import list_to_dict
@@ -45,22 +46,21 @@ def add_arguments(self, command_parser):
         group.add_argument(
             "--take-one", help="Take ownership of the oldest entry with status=queued", nargs="*", metavar="K=V"
         )
-        group.add_argument("--list", help="List some queue entries", nargs="*", metavar="K=V")
-        group.add_argument("--worker", help="Run a worker, taking ownership of the oldest task, running it.", nargs="*")
+        group.add_argument("--list", help="List tasks", nargs="*", metavar="K=V")
+        group.add_argument("--delete-many", help="Batch remove multiple tasks", nargs="*", metavar="K=V")
 
         command_parser.add_argument(
             "--sort",
-            help="Sort by date. Use with --list, --worker, --take-one",
+            help="Sort by date. Use with --list, --take-one",
             choices=["created", "updated"],
             default="updated",
         )
         command_parser.add_argument("-l", "--long", help="Details, use with --list", action="store_true")
+        command_parser.add_argument("-y", "--yes", help="Assume yes", action="store_true")
 
     def run(self, args):
-        if args.TASK is not None and (
-            args.new is not None or args.take_one is not None or args.list is not None or args.worker is not None
-        ):
-            raise ValueError("Cannot use positional argument TASK with --new, --take-one or --list or --worker")
+        if args.TASK is not None and (args.new is not None or args.take_one is not None or args.list is not None):
+            raise ValueError("Cannot use positional argument TASK with --new, --take-one or --list")
 
         if args.TASK:
             return self.run_with_uuid(args.TASK, args)
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@ def run(self, args):
             self.run_take_one(args)
         if args.list is not None:
             self.run_list(args)
-        if args.worker is not None:
-            self.run_worker(args)
+        if args.delete_many is not None:
+            assert args.TASK is None
+            self.run_delete_many(args)
 
     def run_with_uuid(self, uuid, args):
 
@@ -93,6 +94,24 @@ def run_list(self, args):
         cat = TaskCatalogueEntryList(*args.list, sort=args.sort)
         print(cat.to_str(args.long))
 
+    def run_delete_many(self, args):
+        cat = TaskCatalogueEntryList(*args.delete_many, sort=args.sort)
+        if not cat:
+            LOG.info("No tasks found")
+            return
+        if not args.yes:
+            print(f"Do you really want to delete these {len(cat)} entries? (y/n)", end=" ")
+            if input("").lower() != "y":
+                return
+        while cat:
+            try:
+                entry = cat[0]
+                entry.unregister()
+                LOG.info(f"Task {entry.key} deleted.")
+            except CatalogueEntryNotFound:
+                LOG.warning(f"Task {entry.key} not found.")
+        LOG.info(f"{len(cat)} tasks deleted.")
+
     def run_take_one(self, args):
         cat = TaskCatalogueEntryList(*args.take_one, status="queued", sort=args.sort)
         uuid = cat.take_last()
diff --git a/src/anemoi/registry/workers.py b/src/anemoi/registry/workers.py
index faf064d..4552257 100644
--- a/src/anemoi/registry/workers.py
+++ b/src/anemoi/registry/workers.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ def __init__(self, action, destination, timeout=None, wait=1, stop_if_finished=T
         if timeout:
             signal.alarm(timeout)
 
+        if not os.path.exists(target_dir):
+            raise ValueError(f"Target directory {target_dir} must already exist")
+
     def run(self):
         while True:
             res = self.process_one_task()
@@ -101,13 +104,25 @@ def get_source_path():
 
         source_path = get_source_path()
         basename = os.path.basename(source_path)
-        target_path = f"{self.target_dir}/{basename}"
+        target_path = os.path.join(self.target_dir, basename)
+        if os.path.exists(target_path):
+            LOG.error(f"Target path {target_path} already exists, skipping.")
+            return
 
         from anemoi.utils.s3 import download
 
         LOG.info(f"Source path: {source_path}")
         LOG.info(f"Target path: {target_path}")
-        download(source_path, target_path, resume=True)
+
+        if target_path.startswith("s3://"):
+            # untested
+            download(source_path, target_path, resume=True)
+            return
+        else:
+            target_tmp_path = os.path.join(self.target_dir + "-downloading", basename)
+            os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(target_tmp_path), exist_ok=True)
+            download(source_path, target_tmp_path, resume=True)
+            os.rename(target_tmp_path, target_path)
 
     @classmethod
     def parse_entry(cls, entry):