diff --git a/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl b/src/test/authentication/t/001_password.pl
index 5976d877936..f0588e32243 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.