diff --git a/src/misc.ts b/src/misc.ts
index 3557647..a56cffd 100644
--- a/src/misc.ts
+++ b/src/misc.ts
@@ -277,3 +277,25 @@ export const getSplitRanges = (bytesTotal: number, bytesEachPart: number) => {
 export const getTypeName = (obj: any) => {
   return Object.prototype.toString.call(obj).slice(8, -1);
 };
+
+/**
+ * Startting from 1
+ * @param x
+ * @returns
+ */
+export const atWhichLevel = (x: string) => {
+  if (
+    x === undefined ||
+    x === "" ||
+    x === "." ||
+    x === ".." ||
+    x.startsWith("/")
+  ) {
+    throw Error(`do not know which level for ${x}`);
+  }
+  let y = x;
+  if (x.endsWith("/")) {
+    y = x.slice(0, -1);
+  }
+  return y.split("/").length;
+};
diff --git a/src/sync.ts b/src/sync.ts
index 88e0c2a..0890758 100644
--- a/src/sync.ts
+++ b/src/sync.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import {
   mkdirpInVault,
   getFolderLevels,
   getParentFolder,
+  atWhichLevel,
 } from "./misc";
 import { RemoteClient } from "./remote";
 import {
@@ -43,10 +44,9 @@ import {
   DEFAULT_FILE_NAME_FOR_METADATAONREMOTE2,
   isEqualMetadataOnRemote,
 } from "./metadataOnRemote";
+import { isInsideObsFolder, ObsConfigDirFileType } from "./obsFolderLister";
 
 import * as origLog from "loglevel";
-import { padEnd } from "lodash";
-import { isInsideObsFolder, ObsConfigDirFileType } from "./obsFolderLister";
 const log = origLog.getLogger("rs-default");
 
 export type SyncStatusType =
@@ -933,6 +933,69 @@ const dispatchOperationToActual = async (
   }
 };
 
+const splitThreeSteps = (syncPlan: SyncPlanType, sortedKeys: string[]) => {
+  const mixedStates = syncPlan.mixedStates;
+  const totalCount = sortedKeys.length || 0;
+
+  const folderCreationOps: FileOrFolderMixedState[][] = [];
+  const deletionOps: FileOrFolderMixedState[][] = [];
+  const uploadDownloads: FileOrFolderMixedState[][] = [];
+  let realTotalCount = 0;
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < sortedKeys.length; ++i) {
+    const key = sortedKeys[i];
+    const val: FileOrFolderMixedState = Object.assign({}, mixedStates[key]); // copy to avoid issue
+
+    if (val.decision === "skipFolder" || val.decision === "skipUploading") {
+      // pass
+    } else if (val.decision === "createFolder") {
+      const level = atWhichLevel(key);
+      if (folderCreationOps[level - 1] === undefined) {
+        folderCreationOps[level - 1] = [val];
+      } else {
+        folderCreationOps[level - 1].push(val);
+      }
+      realTotalCount += 1;
+    } else if (
+      val.decision === "uploadLocalDelHistToRemoteFolder" ||
+      val.decision === "keepRemoteDelHistFolder" ||
+      val.decision === "uploadLocalDelHistToRemote" ||
+      val.decision === "keepRemoteDelHist"
+    ) {
+      const level = atWhichLevel(key);
+      if (deletionOps[level - 1] === undefined) {
+        deletionOps[level - 1] = [val];
+      } else {
+        deletionOps[level - 1].push(val);
+      }
+      realTotalCount += 1;
+    } else if (
+      val.decision === "uploadLocalToRemote" ||
+      val.decision === "downloadRemoteToLocal"
+    ) {
+      if (uploadDownloads.length === 0) {
+        uploadDownloads[0] = [val];
+      } else {
+        uploadDownloads[0].push(val); // only one level needed here
+      }
+      realTotalCount += 1;
+    } else {
+      throw Error(`unknown decision ${val.decision} for ${key}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // the deletionOps should be run from shadowest to deepest
+  // so we need to reverse it!
+  deletionOps.reverse(); // inplace reverse
+
+  return {
+    folderCreationOps: folderCreationOps,
+    deletionOps: deletionOps,
+    uploadDownloads: uploadDownloads,
+    realTotalCount: realTotalCount,
+  };
+};
+
 export const doActualSync = async (
   client: RemoteClient,
   db: InternalDBs,
@@ -987,95 +1050,47 @@ export const doActualSync = async (
       );
       log.debug(`finished ${key}`);
     }
-  } else {
-    let realCounter = 0;
 
-    log.debug(
-      `1. create all folders from shadowest to deepest, also check undefined decision`
-    );
-    for (let i = sortedKeys.length - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
-      const key = sortedKeys[i];
-      const val = mixedStates[key];
+    return; // shortcut return, avoid too many nests below
+  }
 
-      if (
-        val.decision === undefined ||
-        val.decision === "skipFolder" ||
-        val.decision === "createFolder"
-      ) {
-        log.debug(`start syncing "${key}" with plan ${JSON.stringify(val)}`);
+  const { folderCreationOps, deletionOps, uploadDownloads, realTotalCount } =
+    splitThreeSteps(syncPlan, sortedKeys);
+  const nested = [folderCreationOps, deletionOps, uploadDownloads];
+  const logTexts = [
+    `1. create all folders from shadowest to deepest, also check undefined decision`,
+    `2. delete files and folders from deepest to shadowest`,
+    `3. upload or download files in parallel, with the desired concurrency=${concurrency}`,
+  ];
 
-        if (callbackSyncProcess !== undefined) {
-          await callbackSyncProcess(realCounter, totalCount, key, val.decision);
-        }
-        realCounter += 1;
+  let realCounter = 0;
 
-        await dispatchOperationToActual(
-          key,
-          vaultRandomID,
-          val,
-          client,
-          db,
-          vault,
-          localDeleteFunc,
-          password
-        );
-        log.debug(`finished ${key}`);
+  for (let i = 0; i < nested.length; ++i) {
+    log.debug(logTexts[i]);
+
+    const operations: FileOrFolderMixedState[][] = nested[i];
+
+    for (let j = 0; j < operations.length; ++j) {
+      const singleLevelOps: FileOrFolderMixedState[] | undefined =
+        operations[j];
+
+      if (singleLevelOps === undefined || singleLevelOps === null) {
+        continue;
       }
-    }
 
-    log.debug(`2. delete files and folders from deepest to shadowest`);
-    for (let i = 0; i < sortedKeys.length; ++i) {
-      const key = sortedKeys[i];
-      const val = mixedStates[key];
-      if (
-        val.decision === "uploadLocalDelHistToRemoteFolder" ||
-        val.decision === "keepRemoteDelHistFolder" ||
-        val.decision === "uploadLocalDelHistToRemote" ||
-        val.decision === "keepRemoteDelHist"
-      ) {
-        log.debug(`start syncing "${key}" with plan ${JSON.stringify(val)}`);
+      const queue = new PQueue({ concurrency: concurrency, autoStart: true });
 
-        if (callbackSyncProcess !== undefined) {
-          await callbackSyncProcess(realCounter, totalCount, key, val.decision);
-        }
-        realCounter += 1;
+      for (let k = 0; k < singleLevelOps.length; ++k) {
+        const val: FileOrFolderMixedState = singleLevelOps[k];
+        const key = val.key;
 
-        await dispatchOperationToActual(
-          key,
-          vaultRandomID,
-          val,
-          client,
-          db,
-          vault,
-          localDeleteFunc,
-          password
-        );
-        log.debug(`finished ${key}`);
-      }
-    }
-
-    log.debug(
-      `3. upload or download files in parallel, with the desired concurrency=${concurrency}`
-    );
-    const queue = new PQueue({ concurrency: concurrency, autoStart: true });
-
-    // const commands: any[] = [];
-
-    for (let i = 0; i < sortedKeys.length; ++i) {
-      const key = sortedKeys[i];
-      const val = mixedStates[key];
-      if (
-        val.decision === "skipUploading" ||
-        val.decision === "uploadLocalToRemote" ||
-        val.decision === "downloadRemoteToLocal"
-      ) {
         const fn = async () => {
           log.debug(`start syncing "${key}" with plan ${JSON.stringify(val)}`);
 
           if (callbackSyncProcess !== undefined) {
             await callbackSyncProcess(
               realCounter,
-              totalCount,
+              realTotalCount,
               key,
               val.decision
             );
@@ -1098,8 +1113,8 @@ export const doActualSync = async (
         };
         queue.add(fn);
       }
-    }
 
-    await queue.onIdle();
+      await queue.onIdle();
+    }
   }
 };
diff --git a/tests/misc.test.ts b/tests/misc.test.ts
index 6ff0010..85944e9 100644
--- a/tests/misc.test.ts
+++ b/tests/misc.test.ts
@@ -244,3 +244,25 @@ describe("Misc: get split ranges", () => {
     expect(k).to.deep.equal(k2);
   });
 });
+
+describe("Misc: at which level", () => {
+  it("should throw error on some parameters", () => {
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel(undefined)).to.throw();
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel("")).to.throw();
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel("..")).to.throw();
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel(".")).to.throw();
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel("/")).to.throw();
+    expect(() => misc.atWhichLevel("/xxyy")).to.throw();
+  });
+
+  it("should treat folders correctly", () => {
+    expect(misc.atWhichLevel("x/")).to.be.equal(1);
+    expect(misc.atWhichLevel("x/y/")).to.be.equal(2);
+  });
+
+  it("should treat files correctly", () => {
+    expect(misc.atWhichLevel("x.md")).to.be.equal(1);
+    expect(misc.atWhichLevel("x/y.md")).to.be.equal(2);
+    expect(misc.atWhichLevel("x/y/z.md")).to.be.equal(3);
+  });
+});