diff --git a/scripts/opam_utils.sh b/scripts/opam_utils.sh
index 5dcc421a8..02d638ad1 100644
--- a/scripts/opam_utils.sh
+++ b/scripts/opam_utils.sh
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ opam_switch_create_if_needed () {
         fi
     done
     if [ "$switch_exists" = "no" ]; then
+        rm -rf "$OPAMROOT/$switch"
         opam switch create "$switch" "$compiler"
     fi
 }