diff --git a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
index 184bb16f96..8ea9d5bd0d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
+++ b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
@@ -725,6 +725,8 @@ class BasicNewsRecipe(object, LoggingInterface):
     def article_downloaded(self, request, result):
         index = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(result[0]), 'index.html')
         if index != result[0]:
+            if os.path.exists(index):
+                os.remove(index)
             os.rename(result[0], index)
         a = request.requestID[1]