diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index da77f8e..46a0950 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ check: $(NODE_MODULES_TEST) $(VM_IMAGE) test/common
 # must be from master, as only that has current and existing images; but testvm.py API is stable
 # support CI testing against a bots change
 bots:
-	sudo rm -rf bots
 	git clone --quiet --reference-if-able $${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$$HOME/.cache}/cockpit-project/bots https://github.com/cockpit-project/bots.git
 	if [ -n "$$COCKPIT_BOTS_REF" ]; then git -C bots fetch --quiet --depth=1 origin "$$COCKPIT_BOTS_REF"; git -C bots checkout --quiet FETCH_HEAD; fi
 	@echo "checked out bots/ ref $$(git -C bots rev-parse HEAD)"