diff --git a/test/test-fs-event.c b/test/test-fs-event.c
index 40d80d23fa..fe7bce2afc 100644
--- a/test/test-fs-event.c
+++ b/test/test-fs-event.c
@@ -38,26 +38,6 @@ static int close_cb_called = 0;
 static int fs_event_cb_called = 0;
 static int timer_cb_touch_called = 0;
 
-static void cleanup_watch_dir() {
-  uv_loop_t* loop = uv_default_loop();
-  uv_fs_t readdir_req;
-  int i, r;
-  char *buffer, *name;
-
-  r = uv_fs_readdir(loop, &readdir_req, "watch_dir", 0, NULL);
-  buffer = readdir_req.ptr;
-  uv_chdir("watch_dir");
-  for (i = 0; i < readdir_req.result; i++) {
-    name = buffer;
-    r = remove(name);
-    ASSERT(r == 0);
-    buffer += strlen(name) + 1;
-  }
-  uv_chdir("..");
-  r = remove("watch_dir");
-  ASSERT(r == 0 || uv_last_error(loop).code == UV_ENOENT);
-}
-
 static void create_dir(uv_loop_t* loop, const char* name) {
   int r;
   uv_fs_t req;
@@ -180,11 +160,14 @@ static void timer_cb_touch(uv_timer_t* timer, int status) {
 }
 
 TEST_IMPL(fs_event_watch_dir) {
+  uv_fs_t fs_req;
   uv_loop_t* loop = uv_default_loop();
   int r;
 
   /* Setup */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file2", NULL);
+  uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
   create_dir(loop, "watch_dir");
 
   r = uv_fs_event_init(loop, &fs_event, "watch_dir", fs_event_cb_dir, 0);
@@ -201,15 +184,22 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_watch_dir) {
   ASSERT(close_cb_called == 2);
 
   /* Cleanup */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file2", NULL);
+  r = uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
+
   return 0;
 }
 
 TEST_IMPL(fs_event_watch_file) {
+  uv_fs_t fs_req;
   uv_loop_t* loop = uv_default_loop();
   int r;
 
   /* Setup */
+  uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file2", NULL);
+  uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
   create_dir(loop, "watch_dir");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file1");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file2");
@@ -228,7 +218,10 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_watch_file) {
   ASSERT(close_cb_called == 2);
 
   /* Cleanup */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file2", NULL);
+  r = uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
+
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -271,11 +264,13 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_watch_file_current_dir) {
 
 
 TEST_IMPL(fs_event_no_callback_on_close) {
+  uv_fs_t fs_req;
   uv_loop_t* loop = uv_default_loop();
   int r;
 
   /* Setup */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
   create_dir(loop, "watch_dir");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file1");
 
@@ -294,7 +289,8 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_no_callback_on_close) {
   ASSERT(close_cb_called == 1);
 
   /* Cleanup */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  r = uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -342,12 +338,11 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_immediate_close) {
 
 TEST_IMPL(fs_event_close_with_pending_event) {
   uv_loop_t* loop;
+  uv_fs_t fs_req;
   int r;
 
   loop = uv_default_loop();
 
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
-
   create_dir(loop, "watch_dir");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file");
 
@@ -364,7 +359,10 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_close_with_pending_event) {
   ASSERT(close_cb_called == 1);
 
   /* Clean up */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -397,12 +395,11 @@ static void fs_event_cb_close(uv_fs_event_t* handle, const char* filename,
 
 TEST_IMPL(fs_event_close_in_callback) {
   uv_loop_t* loop;
+  uv_fs_t fs_req;
   int r;
 
   loop = uv_default_loop();
 
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
-
   create_dir(loop, "watch_dir");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file1");
   create_file(loop, "watch_dir/file2");
@@ -426,7 +423,18 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_event_close_in_callback) {
   ASSERT(fs_event_cb_called == 3);
 
   /* Clean up */
-  cleanup_watch_dir();
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file1", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file2", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file3", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file4", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_unlink(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir/file5", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  r = uv_fs_rmdir(loop, &fs_req, "watch_dir", NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
 
   return 0;
 }