diff --git a/testsuite/expect/regression.py b/testsuite/expect/regression.py
index 62aa463c3cd4a357f97b58c25abb116158d25b63..cbc60c2c6ac85261e175a1c10e0542df67fe8fa7 100755
--- a/testsuite/expect/regression.py
+++ b/testsuite/expect/regression.py
@@ -114,7 +114,11 @@ def main(argv=None):
             passed_tests.append(test)
             sys.stdout.write('\n')
             if not options.keep_logs:
-                os.remove(testlog_name)
+                try:
+                    os.remove(testlog_name)
+                except IOError as e:
+                    print >> sys.stderr, 'ERROR failed to close %s %s' \
+                        % (testlog_name, e)
         else:
             failed_tests.append(test)
             os.rename(testlog_name, testlog_name+'.failed')