diff --git a/test/long/org/apache/cassandra/db/compaction/LongCompactionsTest.java b/test/long/org/apache/cassandra/db/compaction/LongCompactionsTest.java
index 94bc09f26a..e87e336023 100644
--- a/test/long/org/apache/cassandra/db/compaction/LongCompactionsTest.java
+++ b/test/long/org/apache/cassandra/db/compaction/LongCompactionsTest.java
@@ -24,22 +24,31 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.Future;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
-import org.apache.cassandra.config.Schema;
+import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
+
 import org.apache.cassandra.SchemaLoader;
 import org.apache.cassandra.Util;
+import org.apache.cassandra.config.Schema;
 import org.apache.cassandra.db.*;
 import org.apache.cassandra.io.sstable.SSTableReader;
 import org.apache.cassandra.io.sstable.SSTableUtils;
 import org.apache.cassandra.utils.ByteBufferUtil;
 import org.apache.cassandra.utils.FBUtilities;
-
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 
 public class LongCompactionsTest extends SchemaLoader
 {
     public static final String KEYSPACE1 = "Keyspace1";
 
+    @Before
+    public void cleanupFiles()
+    {
+        Keyspace keyspace = Keyspace.open(KEYSPACE1);
+        ColumnFamilyStore cfs = keyspace.getColumnFamilyStore("Standard1");
+        cfs.truncateBlocking();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test compaction with a very wide row.
      */
@@ -99,6 +108,7 @@ public class LongCompactionsTest extends SchemaLoader
 
         long start = System.nanoTime();
         final int gcBefore = (int) (System.currentTimeMillis() / 1000) - Schema.instance.getCFMetaData(KEYSPACE1, "Standard1").getGcGraceSeconds();
+        assert store.getDataTracker().markCompacting(sstables): "Cannot markCompacting all sstables";
         new CompactionTask(store, sstables, gcBefore, false).execute(null);
         System.out.println(String.format("%s: sstables=%d rowsper=%d colsper=%d: %d ms",
                                          this.getClass().getName(),