diff --git a/tests/commandtest.c b/tests/commandtest.c
index fa0061cba1fc0335ee38f38126fd5a28ab9cf5c7..caad69832af339d6dfbef49fc094d0688ca1ecca 100644
--- a/tests/commandtest.c
+++ b/tests/commandtest.c
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ static int checkoutput(const char *testname)
     ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
-    unlink(actualname);
+    if (actualname)
+        unlink(actualname);
     VIR_FREE(actuallog);
     VIR_FREE(actualname);
     VIR_FREE(expectlog);
@@ -240,7 +241,8 @@ static int test4(const void *unused ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 
 cleanup:
     virCommandFree(cmd);
-    unlink(pidfile);
+    if (pidfile)
+        unlink(pidfile);
     VIR_FREE(pidfile);
     return ret;
 }
@@ -703,7 +705,8 @@ static int test18(const void *unused ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 
 cleanup:
     virCommandFree(cmd);
-    unlink(pidfile);
+    if (pidfile)
+        unlink(pidfile);
     VIR_FREE(pidfile);
     return ret;
 }