diff --git a/avr/platform.txt b/avr/platform.txt
index 0f2e6f3..31633ce 100644
--- a/avr/platform.txt
+++ b/avr/platform.txt
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ recipe.ar.pattern="{compiler.path}{compiler.ar.cmd}" {compiler.ar.flags} {compil
 ##              This is necessary to prevent link errors reporting unresolved symbols
 ##              due to order dependencies of libraries and objects appearing
 ##              in the linker command line.
+##
+## CHANGED WRT DEFAULT: Remove a pre-existing joined library. This is necessary if the library was not
+##                    removed at the end of a previous build, because the build process
+##                    terminated early after a failed attempt to link (e.g. because of missing symbols).
+recipe.hooks.linking.prelink.1.pattern={tools.rm_start.cmd} "{build.path}/{build.project_name}_joined.a" {tools.rm_end.cmd}
 ##              
 ## CHANGED WRT DEFAULT: Generate a large .a archive to prevent link order issues with garbage collection
 recipe.c.combine.pattern="{compiler.path}/{compiler.ar.cmd}" {compiler.c.elf.flags_join_archives} "{build.path}/{build.project_name}_joined.a" {object_files} "{build.path}/{archive_file}"
@@ -86,7 +91,7 @@ recipe.hooks.linking.postlink.1.pattern="{compiler.path}{compiler.c.elf.cmd}" {c
 ##                   would otherwise result when updating a pre-existing
 ##                   joined archive file during a subsequent firmware build.
 ##
-recipe.hooks.linking.postlink.2.pattern={tools.rm.cmd} "{build.path}/{build.project_name}_joined.a"
+recipe.hooks.linking.postlink.2.pattern={tools.rm_start.cmd} "{build.path}/{build.project_name}_joined.a" {tools.rm_end.cmd}
 ################################################################################
 
 ## Create output files (.eep and .hex)
@@ -149,8 +154,23 @@ tools.dfu-programmer.upload.params.quiet=
 tools.dfu-programmer.upload.noverify=
 tools.dfu-programmer.upload.pattern=/bin/sh -c '"{cmd.path}" atmega32u4 erase && "{cmd.path}" atmega32u4 flash "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.hex" && "{cmd.path}" atmega32u4 start'
 
-tools.rm.cmd=rm -f
-tools.rm.cmd.windows=powershell.exe Remove-Item -LiteralPath
+# Unlike rm on Unix-like systems, powershell's 'rm' command does not ignore non existing files
+# and terminates in error when the file that is to be removed cannot be found.
+# This would result in a premature termination of the overall build process that
+# must be prevented.
+#
+# To allow for possibly non-existing files being passed to command 'rm' we force 
+# powershell to ignore the resulting error and pass error value zero
+# back to the build system. 
+#
+# For this to work, the rm-command is split up in two
+# parts (start/end). The second (end) part is only required on Windows.
+#
+tools.rm_start.cmd=rm -f
+tools.rm_end.cmd=
+
+tools.rm_start.cmd.windows=powershell.exe rm -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -LiteralPath
+tools.rm_end.cmd.windows= ; exit 0
 
 # USB Default Flags
 # Default blank usb manufacturer will be filled in at compile time