diff --git a/coverage.sh b/coverage.sh
index ac127cb..d0ca786 100755
--- a/coverage.sh
+++ b/coverage.sh
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ if [ "\$ret" = 0 ]; then
 	echo expected failure but got exit \$ret >&2
 	exit 1
 fi
-rm -r /tmp/debian-chroot
+[ ! -e /tmp/debian-chroot ]
 END
 if [ "$CONTAINER" = "lxc" ]; then
 	# see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/65748254/