diff --git a/tests/intertask/cancelledby.sh b/tests/intertask/cancelledby.sh
index 9eb6b41..940cacd 100644
--- a/tests/intertask/cancelledby.sh
+++ b/tests/intertask/cancelledby.sh
@@ -3,21 +3,21 @@ set -e
 
 if [[ $TASK == a ]]; then
     # different process, no cancellations
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE a
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE b
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE c
+    rm -rf ${WORKDIR}_*
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE a
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE b
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE c
     test -e ${WORKDIR}_a/PASS -a -e ${WORKDIR}_b/FAIL -a -e ${WORKDIR}_c/FAIL
 elif [[ $TASK == b ]]; then
     # same process, a cancels c cancels b
     # use statusdb so that the different taskloops from using --sequential doesn't matter
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE --statusreset || true
     python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE a c b --sequential --statuscancels
     test -e ${WORKDIR}_a/PASS -a -e ${WORKDIR}_b/CANCELLED -a -e ${WORKDIR}_c/CANCELLED
 else
     # different process, b cancels a, c completes before a
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE --statusreset || true
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE b --statuscancels
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE c --statuscancels
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE a --statuscancels
+    rm -rf ${WORKDIR} ${WORKDIR}_*
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE b --statuscancels
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE c --statuscancels
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE a --statuscancels
     echo test -e ${WORKDIR}_a/CANCELLED -a -e ${WORKDIR}_b/FAIL -a -e ${WORKDIR}_c/FAIL
 fi
diff --git a/tests/intertask/longrunning.sh b/tests/intertask/longrunning.sh
index cd7902c..3013897 100644
--- a/tests/intertask/longrunning.sh
+++ b/tests/intertask/longrunning.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ set -e
 if [[ $TASK == bmc ]]; then
     python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE prove bmc
 else
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE --statusreset || true
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE bmc --statuscancels & bmc_pid="$!"
+    rm -rf ${WORKDIR} ${WORKDIR}_*
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE bmc --statuscancels & bmc_pid="$!"
     # make sure we don't leave the background task running
     trap 'kill "$bmc_pid" 2>/dev/null || true' EXIT
-    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR -f $SBY_FILE prove
+    python3 $SBY_MAIN --prefix $WORKDIR $SBY_FILE prove
     sleep 10
     test -e ${WORKDIR}_bmc/CANCELLED
 fi