diff --git a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
index 5a62ac1eb0b..2e199adad8a 100644
--- a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
+++ b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ my $pgpassfile = "${TestLib::tmp_check}/pgpass";
 delete $ENV{"PGPASSWORD"};
 $ENV{"PGPASSFILE"} = $pgpassfile;
 
+unlink($pgpassfile);
 append_to_file($pgpassfile, qq!
 # This very long comment is just here to exercise handling of long lines in the file. This very long comment is just here to exercise handling of long lines in the file. This very long comment is just here to exercise handling of long lines in the file. This very long comment is just here to exercise handling of long lines in the file. This very long comment is just here to exercise handling of long lines in the file.
 *:*:postgres:scram_role:pass:this is not part of the password.