diff --git a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
index 5976d87793..f0588e3224 100644
--- a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
+++ b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ 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.