diff --git a/brian_polling_manager/configuration.py b/brian_polling_manager/configuration.py
index 160b07dcbe8870351dc5a27b418ca4dc91a108d8..ae43058178763c9d3a0af344f57b9d27accb9c6a 100644
--- a/brian_polling_manager/configuration.py
+++ b/brian_polling_manager/configuration.py
@@ -210,7 +210,12 @@ class State(object):
     @last.setter
     def last(self, new_last: Union[float, None]):
         if not new_last or new_last < 0:
-            os.unlink(self.cache_filenames['state'])
+            try:
+                os.unlink(self.cache_filenames['state'])
+            except OSError:
+                logger.exception(
+                    f'unable to delete state file {self.cache_filenames["state"]}')
+            return
         else:
             State._save_json(
                 self.cache_filenames['state'],