diff --git a/test/helpers/removeFiles.ts b/test/helpers/removeFiles.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ac9b1f523
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/helpers/removeFiles.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import fs from 'fs';
+
+const removeFiles = (dir) => {
+  if (fs.existsSync(dir)) fs.readdirSync(dir).forEach((f) => fs.rmSync(`${dir}/${f}`));
+};
+
+export default removeFiles;
diff --git a/test/uploads/.gitignore b/test/uploads/.gitignore
index 9c471cc979..3454702ee9 100644
--- a/test/uploads/.gitignore
+++ b/test/uploads/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
-!media/.gitkeep
 media
diff --git a/test/uploads/config.ts b/test/uploads/config.ts
index dc4b8b8267..0b3e36b495 100644
--- a/test/uploads/config.ts
+++ b/test/uploads/config.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import path from 'path';
-import fs from 'fs';
 import { buildConfig } from '../buildConfig';
 import { devUser } from '../credentials';
 import getFileByPath from '../../src/uploads/getFileByPath';
+import removeFiles from '../helpers/removeFiles';
 
 export const mediaSlug = 'media';
 
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ export default buildConfig({
     },
   ],
   onInit: async (payload) => {
-    // delete files in /media
-    const mediaDir = path.resolve(__dirname, './media');
-    fs.readdirSync(mediaDir).forEach((f) => fs.rmSync(`${mediaDir}/${f}`));
+    const uploadsDir = path.resolve(__dirname, './media');
+    removeFiles(uploadsDir);
 
     await payload.create({
       collection: 'users',