diff --git a/forms/record_upsert.go b/forms/record_upsert.go
index 46dcc93e..a429b047 100644
--- a/forms/record_upsert.go
+++ b/forms/record_upsert.go
@@ -235,6 +235,16 @@ func (form *RecordUpsert) LoadRequest(r *http.Request, keyPrefix string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// FilesToUpload returns the parsed request files ready for upload.
+func (form *RecordUpsert) FilesToUpload() map[string][]*filesystem.File {
+	return form.filesToUpload
+}
+
+// FilesToUpload returns the parsed request filenames ready to be deleted.
+func (form *RecordUpsert) FilesToDelete() []string {
+	return form.filesToDelete
+}
+
 // AddFiles adds the provided file(s) to the specified file field.
 //
 // If the file field is a SINGLE-value file field (aka. "Max Select = 1"),
@@ -731,21 +741,16 @@ func (form *RecordUpsert) Submit(interceptors ...InterceptorFunc[*models.Record]
 			form.record.MarkAsNew()
 		}
 
+		// persist the record model
+		if saveErr := form.dao.SaveRecord(form.record); saveErr != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to save the record: %w", saveErr)
+		}
+
 		// upload new files (if any)
 		if err := form.processFilesToUpload(); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to process the uploaded files: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		// persist the record model
-		if saveErr := form.dao.SaveRecord(form.record); saveErr != nil {
-			// try to cleanup the successfully uploaded files
-			if _, err := form.deleteFilesByNamesList(form.getFilesToUploadNames()); err != nil && form.app.IsDebug() {
-				log.Println(err)
-			}
-
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to save the record: %w", saveErr)
-		}
-
 		// delete old files (if any)
 		//
 		// for now fail silently to avoid reupload when `form.Submit()`
diff --git a/forms/record_upsert_test.go b/forms/record_upsert_test.go
index d1babdfb..64b7fe6e 100644
--- a/forms/record_upsert_test.go
+++ b/forms/record_upsert_test.go
@@ -979,11 +979,33 @@ func TestRecordUpsertAddAndRemoveFiles(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	removed0 := "test_d61b33QdDU.txt" // replaced
+	removed1 := "300_WlbFWSGmW9.png"
+	removed2 := "logo_vcfJJG5TAh.svg"
+
 	form.AddFiles("file_one", f1) // should replace the existin file
 
 	form.AddFiles("file_many", f2, f3) // should append
 
-	form.RemoveFiles("file_many", "300_WlbFWSGmW9.png", "logo_vcfJJG5TAh.svg") // should remove
+	form.RemoveFiles("file_many", removed1, removed2) // should remove
+
+	filesToUpload := form.FilesToUpload()
+	if v, ok := filesToUpload["file_one"]; !ok || len(v) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected filesToUpload[file_one] to have exactly 1 file, got %v", v)
+	}
+	if v, ok := filesToUpload["file_many"]; !ok || len(v) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected filesToUpload[file_many] to have exactly 2 file, got %v", v)
+	}
+
+	filesToDelete := form.FilesToDelete()
+	if len(filesToDelete) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected exactly 2 file to delete, got %v", filesToDelete)
+	}
+	for _, f := range []string{removed0, removed1, removed2} {
+		if !list.ExistInSlice(f, filesToDelete) {
+			t.Fatalf("Missing file %q from filesToDelete %v", f, filesToDelete)
+		}
+	}
 
 	if err := form.Submit(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to submit the RecordUpsert form, got %v", err)
@@ -995,14 +1017,14 @@ func TestRecordUpsertAddAndRemoveFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// ensure files deletion
-	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, "test_d61b33QdDU.txt") {
+	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, removed0) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected the old file_one file to be deleted")
 	}
-	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, "300_WlbFWSGmW9.png") {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected 300_WlbFWSGmW9.png to be deleted")
+	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, removed1) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected %s to be deleted", removed1)
 	}
-	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, "logo_vcfJJG5TAh.svg") {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected logo_vcfJJG5TAh.svg to be deleted")
+	if hasRecordFile(app, recordAfter, removed2) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected %s to be deleted", removed2)
 	}
 
 	fileOne := recordAfter.GetStringSlice("file_one")