diff --git a/common/utils/file_utils.hpp b/common/utils/file_utils.hpp
index b81b84a6..60c9b6d6 100644
--- a/common/utils/file_utils.hpp
+++ b/common/utils/file_utils.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /***
     This file is part of snapcast
-    Copyright (C) 2014-2020  Johannes Pohl
+    Copyright (C) 2014-2021  Johannes Pohl
 
     This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -16,15 +16,24 @@
     along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 ***/
 
-#ifndef FILE_UTILS_H
-#define FILE_UTILS_H
+#ifndef FILE_UTILS_HPP
+#define FILE_UTILS_HPP
 
+// local headers
 #include "string_utils.hpp"
-#include <fstream>
+
+// 3rd party headers
+
+// standard headers
 #ifndef WINDOWS
 #include <grp.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #endif
+
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -35,26 +44,13 @@ namespace file
 {
 
 
-static bool exists(const std::string& filename)
-{
-    if (filename.empty())
-        return false;
-#ifdef WINDOWS
-    DWORD dwAttrib = GetFileAttributes(filename.c_str());
-    return (dwAttrib != INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES);
-#else
-    struct stat buffer;
-    return (stat(filename.c_str(), &buffer) == 0);
-#endif
-}
-
 #ifndef WINDOWS
 static void do_chown(const std::string& file_path, const std::string& user_name, const std::string& group_name)
 {
     if (user_name.empty() && group_name.empty())
         return;
 
-    if (!exists(file_path))
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(file_path))
         return;
 
     uid_t uid = -1;
diff --git a/server/streamreader/airplay_stream.cpp b/server/streamreader/airplay_stream.cpp
index 908b1145..d7537629 100644
--- a/server/streamreader/airplay_stream.cpp
+++ b/server/streamreader/airplay_stream.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@
 #include "common/aixlog.hpp"
 #include "common/snap_exception.hpp"
 #include "common/utils.hpp"
-#include "common/utils/file_utils.hpp"
 #include "common/utils/string_utils.hpp"
 
+// standard headers
+#include <filesystem>
+
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace streamreader
@@ -220,7 +222,7 @@ void AirplayStream::do_disconnect()
 {
     ProcessStream::do_disconnect();
     // Shairpot-sync created but does not remove the pipe
-    if (utils::file::exists(pipePath_) && (remove(pipePath_.c_str()) != 0))
+    if (std::filesystem::exists(pipePath_) && (remove(pipePath_.c_str()) != 0))
         LOG(INFO, LOG_TAG) << "Failed to remove metadata pipe \"" << pipePath_ << "\": " << errno << "\n";
 }
 
@@ -281,10 +283,10 @@ void AirplayStream::initExeAndPath(const string& filename)
 {
     path_ = "";
     exe_ = findExe(filename);
-    if (!fileExists(exe_) || (exe_ == "/"))
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(exe_) || (exe_ == "/"))
     {
         exe_ = findExe("shairport-sync");
-        if (!fileExists(exe_))
+        if (!std::filesystem::exists(exe_))
             throw SnapException("shairport-sync not found");
     }
 
diff --git a/server/streamreader/librespot_stream.cpp b/server/streamreader/librespot_stream.cpp
index 3061f7d5..73ac1feb 100644
--- a/server/streamreader/librespot_stream.cpp
+++ b/server/streamreader/librespot_stream.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "common/utils/string_utils.hpp"
 
 // standard headers
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <regex>
 
 
@@ -89,10 +90,10 @@ void LibrespotStream::initExeAndPath(const std::string& filename)
 {
     path_ = "";
     exe_ = findExe(filename);
-    if (!fileExists(exe_) || (exe_ == "/"))
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(exe_) || (exe_ == "/"))
     {
         exe_ = findExe("librespot");
-        if (!fileExists(exe_))
+        if (!std::filesystem::exists(exe_))
             throw SnapException("librespot not found");
     }
 
diff --git a/server/streamreader/process_stream.cpp b/server/streamreader/process_stream.cpp
index ef2ab464..1e80ae6d 100644
--- a/server/streamreader/process_stream.cpp
+++ b/server/streamreader/process_stream.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 // standard headers
 #include <climits>
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <filesystem>
 
 
 using namespace std;
@@ -48,17 +50,10 @@ ProcessStream::ProcessStream(PcmStream::Listener* pcmListener, boost::asio::io_c
 }
 
 
-bool ProcessStream::fileExists(const std::string& filename) const
-{
-    struct stat buffer;
-    return (stat(filename.c_str(), &buffer) == 0);
-}
-
-
 std::string ProcessStream::findExe(const std::string& filename) const
 {
     /// check if filename exists
-    if (fileExists(filename))
+    if (std::filesystem::exists(filename))
         return filename;
 
     std::string exe = filename;
@@ -95,7 +90,7 @@ void ProcessStream::initExeAndPath(const std::string& filename)
         exe_ = exe_.substr(exe_.find_last_of('/') + 1);
     }
 
-    if (!fileExists(path_ + exe_))
+    if (!std::filesystem::exists(path_ + exe_))
         throw SnapException("file not found: \"" + filename + "\"");
 }
 
diff --git a/server/streamreader/process_stream.hpp b/server/streamreader/process_stream.hpp
index b9bdd998..4de6dbdd 100644
--- a/server/streamreader/process_stream.hpp
+++ b/server/streamreader/process_stream.hpp
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ protected:
     virtual void onStderrMsg(const std::string& line);
     virtual void initExeAndPath(const std::string& filename);
 
-    bool fileExists(const std::string& filename) const;
     std::string findExe(const std::string& filename) const;
 
     size_t wd_timeout_sec_;