diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
index 2ad24786358..3a98c0b1305 100755
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
@@ -786,6 +786,9 @@ sub command_line_setup () {
     {
       # Only platforms that have native symlinks can use the vardir trick
       $opt_mem= $opt_vardir;
+      # Delete the default directory in case it exists since we're going to create
+      # a new one later anyway, and the mkpath below throws a fatal error otherwise
+      eval { rmtree($default_vardir, 1, 1); };
       mtr_report("Using 4.1 vardir trick");
     }