diff --git a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/DirectUploadContext.php b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/DirectUploadContext.php
index 512dd11f3..0c1313018 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/DirectUploadContext.php
+++ b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/DirectUploadContext.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public function getLastCreatedDirectUploadToken(): ?string {
 	public function userSendsAPOSTRequestToTheEndpointWithTheFileIdOf(
 		string $user, string $elementName
 	): void {
-		$elementId = $this->featureContext->getIdOfElement($user, $elementName);
+		$elementId = $this->featureContext->getIdOfFileOrFolder($user, $elementName);
 		$data = json_encode(array('folder_id' => $elementId));
 		$this->sendRequestToDirectUploadTokenEndpoint($user, $data);
 	}
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FeatureContext.php b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FeatureContext.php
index c4efd05e6..4f95fa2b7 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FeatureContext.php
+++ b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FeatureContext.php
@@ -345,6 +345,10 @@ public function userHasCreatedFolder(
 				continue;
 			}
 			$fullFolderString .= "/" . trim($folder);
+			// check if the file or folder already exists
+			if ($this->fileOrFolderExists($user, $fullFolderString)) {
+				continue;
+			}
 			$this->response = $this->makeDavRequest(
 				$user,
 				$this->regularUserPassword,
@@ -352,7 +356,7 @@ public function userHasCreatedFolder(
 				$fullFolderString
 			);
 			$this->theHTTPStatusCodeShouldBe(
-				["201","405"], // 405 is returned if the folder already exists
+				["201"],
 				"HTTP status code was not 201 while trying to create folder '$fullFolderString' for user '$user'"
 			);
 		}
@@ -457,7 +461,7 @@ public function userGetsTheInformationOfFile(string $user, string $fileId): void
 	 * @When user :user gets the information of the folder :fileName
 	 */
 	public function userGetsTheInformationOfFileWithName(string $user, string $fileName): void {
-		$fileId = $this->getIdOfElement($user, $fileName);
+		$fileId = $this->getIdOfFileOrFolder($user, $fileName);
 		$this->response = $this->sendOCSRequest(
 			'/apps/integration_openproject/fileinfo/' . $fileId,
 			'GET',
@@ -469,7 +473,7 @@ public function userGetsTheInformationOfFileWithName(string $user, string $fileN
 	 * @When user :user gets the information of all files and group folder :groupFolder created in this scenario
 	 */
 	public function userGetsTheInformationOfAllCreatedFiles(string $user, string $groupFolder): void {
-		$this->createdFiles[] = $this->getIdOfElement($user, $groupFolder);
+		$this->createdFiles[] = $this->getIdOfFileOrFolder($user, $groupFolder);
 		$body = json_encode(["fileIds" => $this->createdFiles]);
 		Assert::assertNotFalse(
 			$body,
@@ -584,7 +588,7 @@ public function uploadFileWithContent(
 			[],
 			$content
 		);
-		return $this->getIdOfElement($user, $destination);
+		return $this->getIdOfFileOrFolder($user, $destination);
 	}
 
 
@@ -692,12 +696,12 @@ public function verifyTableNodeColumns(TableNode $table, ?array $requiredHeader
 		}
 	}
 
-	public function getIdOfElement(string $user, string $element): int {
-		$propfindResponse = $this->makeDavRequest(
+	public function propfindFileOrFolder(string $user, string $path): ResponseInterface {
+		return $this->makeDavRequest(
 			$user,
 			$this->regularUserPassword,
 			"PROPFIND",
-			$element,
+			$path,
 			null,
 			'<?xml version="1.0"?>
 					<d:propfind  xmlns:d="DAV:" xmlns:oc="http://owncloud.org/ns" xmlns:nc="http://nextcloud.org/ns" xmlns:ocs="http://open-collaboration-services.org/ns">
@@ -706,14 +710,24 @@ public function getIdOfElement(string $user, string $element): int {
 					  </d:prop>
 					</d:propfind>'
 		);
-		$xmlBody = $propfindResponse->getBody()->getContents();
-		$responseXmlObject = new SimpleXMLElement($xmlBody);
+	}
+
+	public function getIdOfFileOrFolder(string $user, string $path): int {
+		$propfindResponse = $this->propfindFileOrFolder($user, $path);
+		// Ensure PROPFIND returned status 207
+		$this->theHTTPStatusCodeShouldBe(207, "", $propfindResponse);
+		$responseXmlObject = new SimpleXMLElement($propfindResponse->getBody()->getContents());
 		$responseXmlObject->registerXPathNamespace(
 			'oc',
 			'http://owncloud.org/ns'
 		);
 		return (int)(string)$responseXmlObject->xpath('//oc:fileid')[0];
 	}
+
+	public function fileOrFolderExists(string $user, string $path): bool {
+		return $this->propfindFileOrFolder($user, $path)->getStatusCode() === 207;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param string $path
 	 * @param string $method
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FilesVersionsContext.php b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FilesVersionsContext.php
index 0852cb918..ee533885d 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FilesVersionsContext.php
+++ b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/FilesVersionsContext.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public function theVersionFolderOfFileShouldContainElements(
 		string $user,
 		int $count
 	):void {
-		$fileId = $this->featureContext->getIdOfElement($user, $path);
+		$fileId = $this->featureContext->getIdOfFileOrFolder($user, $path);
 		Assert::assertNotNull($fileId, __METHOD__ . " file $path user $user not found (the file may not exist)");
 		$this->theVersionFolderOfFileIdShouldContainElements($user, $fileId, $count);
 	}
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/GroupfoldersContext.php b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/GroupfoldersContext.php
index cdf92bcc7..9dad408f7 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/GroupfoldersContext.php
+++ b/tests/acceptance/features/bootstrap/GroupfoldersContext.php
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ public function groupfolderShouldBeManagedByTheUser(string $folderName, string $
 	 * @Then /^user "([^"]*)" should have a folder called "([^"]*)"$/
 	 */
 	public function userShouldHaveAFolderCalled(string $user, string $folderName): void {
-		Assert::assertIsInt(
-			$this->featureContext->getIdOfElement($user, $folderName),
+		Assert::assertTrue(
+			$this->featureContext->fileOrFolderExists($user, $folderName),
 			"folder $folderName does not exist"
 		);
 	}