diff --git a/testsuite/expect/test1.31 b/testsuite/expect/test1.31
index 23eae135bc3d97de6ed818df7cb45af7ca5fdbe2..ef1b86a86ef87829496710d22a14d5822b5ae3fd 100755
--- a/testsuite/expect/test1.31
+++ b/testsuite/expect/test1.31
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ expect {
 		wait
 	}
 }
-exec $bin_rm -f $env_valu_stdout
 
 if {$task_cnt != $env_valu_nprocs} {
 	send_user "\nFAILURE: did not process"
@@ -150,6 +149,7 @@ if {$max_node_val > $max_nodes} {
 # Post processing
 #
 if {$exit_code == 0} {
+	exec $bin_rm -f $env_valu_stdout
 	send_user "\nSUCCESS\n"
 }
 exit $exit_code