diff --git a/tests/run_compile.sh b/tests/run_compile.sh
index ed7ae7ce11..4ec17c9edf 100755
--- a/tests/run_compile.sh
+++ b/tests/run_compile.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ write_fail_test() {
   exit 1
 }
 
+remove_fail_test() {
+    echo "Removing test failure flag file for compile_${COMPILE_NR}"
+    if [[ ${OPNREQ_TEST} == true ]] ; then
+        rm -f $PATHRT/fail_opnreq_compile_${COMPILE_NR}
+    else
+        rm -f $PATHRT/fail_compile_${COMPILE_NR}
+    fi
+}
+
 if [[ $# != 4 ]]; then
   echo "Usage: $0 PATHRT RUNDIR_ROOT MAKE_OPT COMPILE_NR"
   exit 1
@@ -35,11 +44,7 @@ export COMPILE_NR=$4
 
 cd ${PATHRT}
 OPNREQ_TEST=${OPNREQ_TEST:-false}
-if [[ ${OPNREQ_TEST} == true ]]; then
-  rm -f fail_opnreq_compile_${COMPILE_NR}
-else
-  rm -f fail_compile_${COMPILE_NR}
-fi
+remove_fail_test
 
 [[ -e ${RUNDIR_ROOT}/compile_${COMPILE_NR}.env ]] && source ${RUNDIR_ROOT}/compile_${COMPILE_NR}.env
 source default_vars.sh
@@ -85,6 +90,9 @@ ls -l ${PATHTR}/tests/fv3_${COMPILE_NR}.exe
 
 cp ${RUNDIR}/compile_*_time.log ${LOG_DIR}
 cat ${RUNDIR}/job_timestamp.txt >> ${LOG_DIR}/job_${JOB_NR}_timestamp.txt
+
+remove_fail_test
+
 ################################################################################
 # End compile job
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/tests/run_test.sh b/tests/run_test.sh
index 0f996a7c09..9617810f27 100755
--- a/tests/run_test.sh
+++ b/tests/run_test.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ write_fail_test() {
   exit 1
 }
 
+remove_fail_test() {
+    echo "Removing test failure flag file for ${TEST_NAME} ${TEST_NR}"
+    if [[ ${OPNREQ_TEST} == true ]] ; then
+        rm -f $PATHRT/fail_opnreq_test_${TEST_NR}
+    else
+        rm -f $PATHRT/fail_test_${TEST_NR}
+    fi
+}
+
 function compute_petbounds() {
 
   # each test MUST define ${COMPONENT}_tasks variable for all components it is using
@@ -90,11 +99,7 @@ export COMPILE_NR=$5
 
 cd ${PATHRT}
 OPNREQ_TEST=${OPNREQ_TEST:-false}
-if [[ ${OPNREQ_TEST} == true ]]; then
-  rm -f fail_opnreq_test_${TEST_NR}
-else
-  rm -f fail_test_${TEST_NR}
-fi
+remove_fail_test
 
 [[ -e ${RUNDIR_ROOT}/run_test_${TEST_NR}.env ]] && source ${RUNDIR_ROOT}/run_test_${TEST_NR}.env
 source default_vars.sh
@@ -356,6 +361,9 @@ fi
 if [[ $SCHEDULER != 'none' ]]; then
   cat ${RUNDIR}/job_timestamp.txt >> ${LOG_DIR}/job_${JOB_NR}_timestamp.txt
 fi
+
+remove_fail_test
+
 ################################################################################
 # End test
 ################################################################################