diff --git a/tests/sparse05.at b/tests/sparse05.at
index e358d1f..e387244 100644
--- a/tests/sparse05.at
+++ b/tests/sparse05.at
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ AT_KEYWORDS([sparse sparse05])
 #             http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-tar/2013-01/msg00001.html
 
 AT_TAR_CHECK([
+BIGFILECREATED=yes
 (echo 0 =2560
 for i in `seq 1 999`; do
     echo 10M =2560
-done) | genfile --sparse --file BIGFILE --block-size 4K - || AT_SKIP_TEST
+done) | genfile --sparse --file BIGFILE --block-size 4K - || BIGFILECREATED=no
+if test "$BIGFILECREATED" = no; then rm BIGFILE; AT_SKIP_TEST; fi
 tar -f - -c --sparse --posix BIGFILE | tar tvf - | awk '{ print $3, $(NF) }'
 ],
 [0],