diff --git a/tests/rt.sh b/tests/rt.sh
index e6f60915e8..201ce697f8 100755
--- a/tests/rt.sh
+++ b/tests/rt.sh
@@ -1041,9 +1041,7 @@ NEW_BASELINE=${STMP}/${USER}/FV3_RT/REGRESSION_TEST
 # Overwrite default RUNDIR_ROOT if environment variable RUNDIR_ROOT is set
 RUNDIR_ROOT=${RUNDIR_ROOT:-${PTMP}/${USER}/FV3_RT}/rt_$$
 mkdir -p "${RUNDIR_ROOT}"
-if [[ -L "${PATHRT}/run_dir" && -d "${PATHRT}/run_dir" ]]; then
-  rm "${PATHRT}/run_dir"
-fi
+rm -rf "${PATHRT}/run_dir"
 echo "Linking ${RUNDIR_ROOT} to ${PATHRT}/run_dir"
 ln -s "${RUNDIR_ROOT}" "${PATHRT}/run_dir"
 echo "Run regression test in: ${RUNDIR_ROOT}"