diff --git a/tests/Makefile.in b/tests/Makefile.in
index a120e1434dc17c64e5d6260fafc7b5abdd303e68..2c8adfc82dc6de9f676a88185a08faccdd910a0a 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@ clean-local:	FORCE
 	$(RM) test-db/[!C]* test-repl/[!C]* *core
 
 veryclean-local: FORCE
-	$(RM) data
+	$(RM) -f data
 	$(RM) -r test-db test-repl