diff --git a/cluster/images/conformance/go-runner/tar_test.go b/cluster/images/conformance/go-runner/tar_test.go
index aa82c84cf63..3616552c5e3 100644
--- a/cluster/images/conformance/go-runner/tar_test.go
+++ b/cluster/images/conformance/go-runner/tar_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ func TestTar(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
 			err := tarDir(tc.dir, tc.outpath)
+			if err == nil {
+				defer os.Remove(tc.outpath)
+			}
+
 			switch {
 			case err != nil && len(tc.expectErr) == 0:
 				t.Fatalf("Expected nil error but got %q", err)