diff --git a/syncclient/oneOff.go b/syncclient/oneOff.go
index 8391a18..f636e8f 100644
--- a/syncclient/oneOff.go
+++ b/syncclient/oneOff.go
@@ -9,40 +9,44 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton/synccommon"
 )
 
-// ShearRemoteFromClient removes the target file or directory from the local system and calls the server to remove it remotely and add it to the deletions list.
-// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the intended interface for shearing (ShearLocal should only be used directly by the server binary).
+// ShearRemoteFromClient removes the target file or directory from
+// the local system and calls the server to remove it remotely and
+// add it to the deletions list.
+// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is
+// the intended interface for shearing (ShearLocal should only
+// be used directly by the server binary).
 func ShearRemoteFromClient(targetLocationIncomplete string) error {
 	deviceID, isDir, err := synccommon.ShearLocal(targetLocationIncomplete, "") // remove the target from the local system and get the device ID of the client
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("unable to shear target locally: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
-	if deviceID != "" { // ensure a device ID exists (online mode)
-		// create an SSH client
-		sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
-		if offlineMode {
-			goto end
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
+	if offlineMode {
+		goto end
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
+	}
+	if deviceID == "" {
+		return errors.New("unable to shear target remotely: no device ID found")
+	}
 
-		// ensure targetLocationIncomplete ends with a slash if it is a directory (for clarity in shear message)
-		if isDir && !strings.HasSuffix(targetLocationIncomplete, "/") {
-			targetLocationIncomplete += "/"
-		}
+	// ensure targetLocationIncomplete ends with a slash if it is a directory (for clarity in shear message)
+	if isDir && !strings.HasSuffix(targetLocationIncomplete, "/") {
+		targetLocationIncomplete += "/"
+	}
 
-		// call the server to remotely shear the target and add it to the deletions list
-		_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver shear", deviceID+"\n"+strings.ReplaceAll(targetLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath))
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to shear target remotely: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// call the server to remotely shear the target and add it to the deletions list
+	_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver shear", deviceID+"\n"+strings.ReplaceAll(targetLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath))
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to shear target remotely: " + err.Error())
+	}
 
-		// close the SSH client
-		err = sshClient.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// close the SSH client
+	err = sshClient.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
 end:
@@ -50,8 +54,11 @@ end:
 	return nil
 }
 
-// RenameRemoteFromClient renames oldLocationIncomplete to newLocationIncomplete on the local system and calls the server to perform the rename remotely and add the old target to the deletions list.
-// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the intended interface for renaming (RenameLocal should only be used directly by the server binary).
+// RenameRemoteFromClient renames oldLocationIncomplete to newLocationIncomplete on
+// the local system and calls the server to perform the rename remotely and add the
+// old target to the deletions list.
+// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the intended
+// interface for renaming (RenameLocal should only be used directly by the server binary).
 func RenameRemoteFromClient(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string) error {
 	err := synccommon.RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete, false) // move the target on the local system
 	if err != nil {
@@ -62,30 +69,31 @@ func RenameRemoteFromClient(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("unable to generate device ID list: " + err.Error())
 	}
-	if len(deviceIDList) > 0 { // ensure a device ID exists (online mode)
-		// create an SSH client
-		sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
-		if offlineMode {
-			goto end
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// create an SSH client
+	sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
+	if offlineMode {
+		goto end
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
+	}
+	if deviceIDList[0].Name() == "" {
+		return errors.New("unable to rename target remotely: no device ID found")
+	}
 
-		// call the server to move the target on the remote system and add the old target to the deletions list
-		_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver rename",
-			(deviceIDList)[0].Name()+"\n"+
-				strings.ReplaceAll(oldLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath)+"\n"+
-				strings.ReplaceAll(newLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath))
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to rename target remotely: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// call the server to move the target on the remote system and add the old target to the deletions list
+	_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver rename",
+		(deviceIDList)[0].Name()+"\n"+
+			strings.ReplaceAll(oldLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath)+"\n"+
+			strings.ReplaceAll(newLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath))
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to rename target remotely: " + err.Error())
+	}
 
-		// close the SSH client
-		err = sshClient.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// close the SSH client
+	err = sshClient.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
 end:
@@ -93,39 +101,36 @@ end:
 	return nil
 }
 
-// AddFolderRemoteFromClient creates a new entry-containing directory on the local system and calls the server to create the folder remotely.
-// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the intended interface for adding folders (AddFolderLocal should only be used directly by the server binary).
+// AddFolderRemoteFromClient creates a new entry-containing directory
+// on the local system and calls the server to create the folder remotely.
+// It can safely be called in offline mode, as well, so this is the
+// intended interface for adding folders (AddFolderLocal should only be
+// used directly by the server binary).
 func AddFolderRemoteFromClient(targetLocationIncomplete string) error {
 	err := synccommon.AddFolderLocal(targetLocationIncomplete) // add the folder on the local system
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.New("unable to add folder locally: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
-	deviceIDList, err := global.GenDeviceIDList()
+	// create an SSH client
+	sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
+	if offlineMode {
+		goto end
+	}
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.New("unable to generate device ID list: " + err.Error())
+		return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
 	}
-	if len(deviceIDList) > 0 { // ensure a device ID exists (online mode)
-		// create an SSH client
-		sshClient, offlineMode, _, _, err := GetSSHClient()
-		if offlineMode {
-			goto end
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to connect to SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
 
-		// call the server to create the folder remotely
-		_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver addfolder", strings.ReplaceAll(targetLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath)) // call the server to create the folder remotely
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to add folder remotely: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// call the server to create the folder remotely
+	_, err = GetSSHOutput(sshClient, "libmuttonserver addfolder", strings.ReplaceAll(targetLocationIncomplete, global.PathSeparator, global.FSPath)) // call the server to create the folder remotely
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to add folder remotely: " + err.Error())
+	}
 
-		// close the SSH client
-		err = sshClient.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
-		}
+	// close the SSH client
+	err = sshClient.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("unable to close SSH client: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
 end:
diff --git a/synccommon/common.go b/synccommon/common.go
index 33fa410..9dc8875 100644
--- a/synccommon/common.go
+++ b/synccommon/common.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func ShearLocal(targetLocationIncomplete, clientDeviceID string) (string, bool,
 		}
 	}
 
-	// get the full targetLocation path and remove the target
+	// remove the target locally
 	targetLocationComplete := global.TargetLocationFormat(targetLocationIncomplete)
 	var isFile bool
 	if !onServer { // error if target does not exist on client, needed because os.RemoveAll does not return an error if target does not exist
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func RenameLocal(oldLocationIncomplete, newLocationIncomplete string, verifyOldL
 // AddFolderLocal creates a new entry-containing directory on the local system.
 // This function should only be used directly by the server binary.
 func AddFolderLocal(targetLocationIncomplete string) error {
-	// get the full targetLocation path and create the target
+	// create the target locally
 	targetLocationComplete := global.TargetLocationFormat(targetLocationIncomplete)
 	err := os.Mkdir(targetLocationComplete, 0700)
 	if err != nil {